Zack's Final Mission
by Mint
Summary: At the end of CrisisCore Zack isn't killed, only hurt badly. Cloud doesn't see it and leaves. The story of the hero continues, but now they are two. The reencounter between friends is inevitable. There's a sick man in the care of a girl from the slums.
1. Zack: Shutting Down

**Zack's Final Mission**

Chapter 1: Shutting down

"Run the credits 'cause this is the end!" I finished the last three Shinra infantrymen standing, in one single slash of my buster sword, holding it tightly between my hands. I truly hope I don't have to wear it this much again.

Guess again…

Another helicopter and a whole bunch of them reappear. Where do they keep coming from? They're worse than grasshoppers!

I'm sorry Angeal, I'll have to wear it a little bit more. I swear I could stare at it for days. This sword is huge and magnificent, just look at how its sharp edge slices through them like they were mere apples. Dumb apples for that sake. I grin and stand my ground as their muscles tense as they foolishly come back for more.

When will they learn?

I'm a hero, I won't be taken down this easily. That's when I catch a glimpse of my reflection in one's silver mask. My eyes... They're wide open and intense, focused… I see the look of a crazy man with a deadly lust for blood. A smirk on my lips…

What have I turned into? What have THEY turned me into?

Well, whatever is it that I am now, I'm digging it! Maybe this way they'll learn they can't take me down, at least not without a good fight.

I'm starting to think they're a little too many though. Shinra must have gathered all the troops to get me. I feel quite special really. The whole cavalry has come so that must mean I am a threat. Good, then let me show them what the hero can really do.

It's about time they notice my value! Such a pity that it's for the wrong reasons. They consider me a lab sample… Me and Cloud…

Cloud…

I have to protect him, I'm praying with all my strength that they don't notice him, that they don't realize that he's just there behind the path I came from. Maybe they were just looking for me, with some luck they'll think Cloud would never survive such mako overdose. That way he would be safe.

He's already been through so much and I gotta admit the boy has got the nerves! The way he defeated Sephiroth back at the reactor. A mere disciple who was stronger than a master. If he handled that, he can handle the mako in him I'm sure of it. He'll be fine and live his honour.

And there goes my sword again, Angeal's sword for that matter. Slicing them all with its sharpened silver blade as it beautifully glitters in the sun along with their dark blood spatter, red liquid sprays all around. But I don't care, I'm getting a little bored actually. I have somewhere else to be. I have to meet her again before it's too late.

I hope I'm not too late! She would wait for me… wouldn't she? I want to see the flowers again… I want to look at her, at least one last time. Her smile followed by her giggle.

As images of the time I spent with her run through my mind I realize I have never met anyone quite like her. Through all I've been through and that I'm going through right now, her image is the one thing that's keeping me sane.

No… I won't lose it like Sephiroth. That's a fine example of a once good man slowly driven insane by what is chasing me. They had been messing with his head for so long I'm surprised he didn't blow up sooner now that I think of it.

But not me.

I have something to return to. A life to take back. I have someone holding me down to the ground.

And she's waiting for me!

A new spree of killing starts as the images of her run free in my mind. It's like ecstasy giving me the energy to fight the thousands of infantrymen that don't seem to stop coming. But the sudden fringe of energy seems to be disappearing by the minute.

The images are turning faint. The memories are beginning to fade into flashes. They are just too many… But I need to keep going.

For her, for Cloud, for Angeal the Director and my friends and for my life.

To my surprise my knees crumble. Someone shot me in the knees! How cowardly of them! And the pain is just unbearable.

So I can feel pain!

I thought it would be worse. As much sick as it may seem in my head, the pain doesn't bother me at all. It's the feeling of numbness that scares me. My legs are getting cold with the piercing pain and I can't hold in a scream as I drop to one knee.

My mind can handle it but my body is starting to shut down.

I guess I'm still only human.

No more than a human with some injected benefits. Still, the skills are all mine. It's the mako that's keeping me above the surface of giving in. The mako is the inhuman in me.

Maybe… I took them all for granted, these infantrymen. No… Who am I kidding? Thousands and thousands of armed men are no match even to Sephiroth. Right… Fool yourself to believe that and you might just make it.

Come on Zack don't give up on your dreams! I still need to know all of her wishes! That one she told me is just too easy, or so I thought so. But I will grant her that wish… And I made her a promise to go back to her and by God I'm going to keep it! I want to read all the 88 letters! I want to know what she has been up to for the last four years. I want to answer to all of her letters by spending more time with her. Maybe she'll marry me. I smile at the thought… heaven. My mother would be so proud of me for having someone like that girl as a wife.

No… This can't be the end!

I heard Cloud's voice in the distance... The wind whispered softly in my ears. Was it over?

And then everything went black.

_Aerith…_

_I'm coming!_

To be continued.

**Note:** Hey! This is just the first chapter of this idea for a story I had. I just played Crisis Core and was so addicted to it that I thought that couldn't be the end of Zack! Please tell me what you think and if I should continue! I have so many ideas for it… Well, I hope you liked this first chapter!


	2. Aerith: Premonition

**Zack's Final Mission**

Chapter 2: Premonition

"Any news?" I eagerly asked Kunsel, perhaps I asked a little too impatient for my own sake. I was always with the constant feeling that every time I saw him coming down the road to check on me, he brought good news, the news I've been expecting for four years now. News of him, of Zack.

It's funny how I woke up every day, the days I could sleep of course, hoping that that was going to be the day I would hear from him. But everyday was a new let-down. Still, that didn't keep me from writing to him because I knew that he was still there somewhere, and if I wasn't here to make him come back, to push him, who was going to do that?

I miss him so much. I missed his life; he was so full of it, always so lively, so excited. Very cheerful for a soldier in my opinion… That was what made him so special. He didn't act like the other soldiers I had encountered once. Those seemed so serious. Nothing like Zack!

"I'm afraid not…" Kunsel dropped his head sighing as he answered me. "I've been sending him some messages but he has yet to reply. There was this situation that caused some alarm in the building but I'm not sure of anything."

"Well… Thank you Kunsel, for keeping me in touch." I replied.

"Aerith… You know I promised him to watch over you while he is gone, but it has been four years… we kinda have to… expect the worst…" He hesitated finishing that sentence afraid of my reaction I could tell, but I knew better. My ancient powers allowed me to feel it when someone dear had died, and so far I haven't felt it from Zack, that must mean he's still around.

"No Kunsel… I'll never give up hope. Not until I hear what really happened to him." I answered sincerely. "When I find out the truth about him, whatever the choices he made, whatever happened to him, I will accept it and let go whatever it is. But until that day, I'll be waiting for him." Had any other thoughts crossed my mind about Zack? Of course! Maybe he met someone during his missions and decided to build something with that person, maybe he gave up on coming back. Maybe he's better off the way he is wherever he is. That's why I sent him my last letter one week ago.

That creature, no… that angelic creature that sometimes came to visit me in the church took the letter to him I'm sure of it. I wonder where my other letters ended up in though… I'm not giving up hope but if he didn't want to answer me at least I wouldn't keep bothering him. I may not write anymore but I'll still be waiting to hear from him.

"So… Do you have any letters today?" Kunsel asked and I could see he was turning anxious to go back to work.

"No… not today, not anymore…" I couldn't help feeling sad.

"Hey… You're doing fine…" Kunsel smiled and I returned it with a tiny excuse of a smile. The muscles in my face felt like they were going numb and I am sure my expression must have looked like someone had been poking me with needles. Kunsel finally sighed in defeat and shook his head sadly. "I'll be going now. Let me know if you need anything ok?"

I nodded once and made my way back into the church as well as he turned his back and walked away.

Once inside my sanctuary I felt more alone than ever even though I knew I was constantly being watched by the Turks. I was never alone, not physically. Well, some flowers need to be picked so I can sell them on the streets! And that's exactly what I went to do.

But it was then when I was fixing the flowers with my hands and a pair of gardening scissors that I felt a sudden impulse of a strong heartbeat inside my chest. It's like my heart stopped beating for a brief second and then came back at full speed. I gasped as shock took over me.

It paralyzed my legs and arms; I stayed there kneeled on the ground as the planet warned me of something. As a bad news messenger, a cold breeze blew lightly by my back making my skin shiver and my hands to start shaking.

I lost my strength and the scissors dropped making a loud thud on the floor. I snapped back to reality and stood up quickly to look up at the bright light coming from the ceiling. This wasn't good.

I couldn't believe what the planet was telling me. I noticed too late that tears had started pouring down my cheeks. I couldn't feel anything. It's like I was watching my body from somewhere else just standing there frozen.

"Zack…" I managed to say his name in between sobs.

I didn't return home that night. I went straight to the park in the slums to get away from everything and everyone. I hugged my legs to my chest as I sat there on the piggy-head slide and watched the night turn into day, slowly, endlessly. That was without a doubt the longest night I had ever had in my life.

_"Have you ever seen the ocean Aerith? He once asked me._

_"If I haven't yet seen the sky…" I answered turning red, I remember thinking that day if he thought I was weird, a girl that has never left the Midgar slums._

_"Right!" He laughed mocking me._

_"Hey!"_

_"No it's not that, It's that I was imagining you seeing the ocean AND the sky at the same time since there's no way escaping one. You'd be amazed." He had said._

_"I would be so scared!"_

_"No… I'd be there holding you."_

_"Holding me?" I frowned._

_"I mean… I wouldn't let you fall, I mean I'd hold your hand, I mean… I'd be there… Aaah! You know what I mean!" That was the only time I saw him blush. And I thought soldiers didn't blush, ever._

I chuckled tearfully as I remembered that day I spent with him. He always made me smile. Now it was just a happy memory.

Time to go back to reality, if that will ever be possible.

* * *

A small source of lifestream… In Midgar. The green light is so beautiful it's almost hypnotizing. I took a good grip of my basket full of flowers and stood up to walk to the main square, time to go sell some color to this world.

* * *

**Note:** So that's it for chapter 2! I thought I was going to make this all Zack's point of view but it took me another way and next chapter will be Cloud's point of view! That way it'll take a little time before we know what happens to Zack. But after Cloud's point of view it'll be just all Zack and on with his story! Thanks for reading, and please do review…


	3. Cloud: Farewell my friend

**Zack's Final Mission**

Chapter 3: Farewell my friend

I slowly opened my eyes and saw a sky full of grey clouds gathering. I tried to move my legs but they felt so heavy just like my arms were.

Gunshots…

I can hear them so close… but… where am I? The last thing I remember was… his eyes… like fire… The fire in Nibelheim.

I sat down abruptly taken aback by the images in my mind and leaned my back against the solid rock behind me to look around, trying to locate myself. The sudden strain made my stomach hurt and my head spin. I raised my hand to touch my forehead, it was burning. I have to take it easy.

Sephiroth… he stabbed me but I was able to be stronger than him, I know I did something to him.

The effort I was making to fix the memories in my head made it hurt even more. They're all so faint, so distant… Have I dreamed it?

Wait…How was I able to do something to Sephiroth?! I'm just a rookie… I'm still learning and Zack said he was going to help me be better… Everything was silent now, the sky getting darker by the minute. The air was also colder, harder to breathe… Or was it that just me, tired, sore.

"Zack? Zack…" I called his name, more like whispered it. What happened to me that I just don't have the strength? I had to crawl out of that place and search for him around. My muscles moved in a constant sharpened twinge as I gradually started my way down the rocky path.

I finally turned to a clearing and I could not believe what my eyes were seeing. The picture was just too painful, too unbearable.

No…

"Zack!" I called again, this time louder, my emotions were causing my pulse to thump rapidly in my ears, and my blood was starting to run faster. Zack stood lying on the floor looking up at the sky with arms stretched to each side.

I could have thought he was just resting as he remained so quiet, so peacefully breathing, only if it wasn't for the fact that he was covered with his own blood descending gently from his stomach and chest to the floor around him. His arms were covered in wounds and scratches and there was a string of blood coming down from his forehead to his neck. He was so badly hurt…

His uniform had been ragged with gun holes and soaked by blood.

A piercing pain worse than what my body was feeling hit my heart like a stabbing knife going all the way through it while I watched him like that.

Reaching for Zack I looked down at him incredulously. He was dying…

There was no way this was going to be the end of Zack. I saw him fight, I saw him give his all. He was without any doubt the greatest soldier I've ever met. This must not be happening.

He was the only one inside Shinra who believed in me. A rookie who got sick when he flied and a clumsy swordsman with great aiming though. He had said to me once, I had the potential to be the greatest soldier there ever was, after him of course. He saw that in me when no one else did. But by no means would I believe that.

I have so much to thank Zack for all he has done for me. He gave me a course to follow. And I'll never forget his words.

Embrace your dreams and whatever happens protect your honour.

"Zack… Don't do this to me man…" My throat felt dry.

There had to be something I could do but I just didn't know if I should touch him, I was afraid I'd make it worse. I finally placed one hand at the back of his head to hold it up and tried to lift his arm to my neck, but he didn't want to get up.

"Don't strain yourself… Cloud. There's no use." He laid back down again. "It's alright. And you look worst than me." He laughed with a hand on his stomach to hold the pain. I smiled but those words made tears start falling heavily down my face. I looked at him in shock.

"Cloud… could you… do me a favour?" He struggled to say.

"Zack..." I just didn't want to believe he was dying. "Of course." I felt more tears falling.

"Would you tell Aerith… I was a hero?" I nodded, of course I would do that as soon as I found the girl with that name. It was the very least I could do for him.

His blue eyes were open but looked so tired. They were starting to focus on something in the sky. Staring at something above. His life was fading away little by little.

Soon enough the rain was pouring down blending in with his warm dark red blood and I could see it in his eyes that its refreshing touch was soothing his pain. He smiled and lifted his sword to me so I could take it. It was getting harder for him to breathe I noticed.

"That looks so liberating." He said.

He was smiling until the very end.

Zack closed his eyes, letting go. My hands turned into trembling fists, that could not be happening.

I screamed as loud as I could to set free some of the rage I was feeling towards that cruel world for taking my friend away. The only true friend I've ever had.

But I knew who the culprit was and I'd make him pay.

Thank you Zack…

Goodnight.

* * *

"_You're going to live for the both of us."_

I dragged my sword down the deserted valley I was walking on, towards Midgar ahead. I could feel my body recovering. I could feel it getting stronger by the second. Each step I took was each step I could lift the heavy sword higher, easily without straining myself.

"_You'll be__ my living legacy…"_

As I approached the dark city I could feel my mind hazy. I couldn't remember the how and why I got there but I knew who I was and what my mission consisted in. My memory was a big pile of incoherent images of places I've been and people I've met. But there was one image that stood out from all of the others. One person I could remember almost clearly.

Sephiroth.

That was my mission.

"My name is Cloud Strife. SOLDIER 1st class".

* * *

**Note****: **Man… this was very sad to write and all the way I felt like telling Cloud: "Oh for God's sake just give him an elixir!"

Cloud: "Hey! I'm trying to work here!" So I had to shut up…. u_u

Well, this was the last POV! Next chapter we'll know what happens to Zack!

Thank you for the lovely reviews! :D


	4. The Cure

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 4****: The Cure**

There was a boy sitting in the open truck of his father's van with eyes wide open to absorb the freedom of being outside the roof platform of Midgar as much as he could before going back. His brother and father were driving home from the corn-fields they grew outside the outskirts of the dark city.

The roar of the engine could be heard pouring down the silent valley as they drove back. While they did, the van left the fresh scent of corn leaves through the road they left behind. The boy held one stalk in his hands and took small bites of the yellow grains while looking amazed at how vastly the deserted fields extended through the horizon.

He was always thrilled to go help his family just to get out of the smoky air of his birth city.

But something was meant to happen that day, an adventure the boy had always imagined having once he left the city's boundaries. The world was such a huge place and he dreamed of knowing each corner of it.

It was when the boy was stretching his arms in a yawn that his eyes caught something dark in the light brown dirty landscape. He narrowed his eyes forcing them to focus on the dark shape. His mouth opened wide as he let out a cry for his father.

He knocked eagerly on the glass that separated the driver's cabin from the open truck and called for his father's name. Noticing the sudden distress of his younger son, the old man came to an abrupt full stop pressing the break heavily with his foot.

* * *

_"He's still breathing."_

"_Be careful with his head." _He could hear voices in the distance but found no connection to what they were saying.

_"What happened to him?" _His ears sounded like he had something covering them since the voices sounded like mumbles.

_"I know a person who can help."_

_"Well, what are you waiting for? Go get her, quick! We're loosing him!"_

_Darkness._

* * *

Aerith leaned her forehead on the transparent window pane of her bedroom's window and sighed restlessly. She went to sit on her chair by the mirror-desk and started lifting her hair up to tie it in a ponytail. As her hand dropped to pick up her pink ribbon she hesitated touching it and smiled remembering how she had got it.

Its tender feel finally reached her skin as she caressed the smooth fabric with the tips of her fingers. At last she carefully tied it in a bow behind her head holding up her light brown hair tightly and finished the do by placing the green materia her birth-mother had given her years ago at the top of the ponytail. Those were two objects she couldn't leave the house without. Both meant for something she loved but no longer could touch. Only their presence remained in them. By using them, those two people would always be close to her even if they were very far away.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror and instead of braiding it today she let her long hair fall loose down her back. Getting up, she fixed her pink dress on the knees and directed for the door.

While going down the stairs she suddenly froze holding the banister with her left hand and with one foot on one step with the other one on a lower step. She listened closely for she could have sworn she had heard someone calling her in alarm.

"Ae-rith!" She heard a far voice shrieking her name in gasps from running probably. "Miss Aerith!"

Certain that she wasn't imagining things she finished the rest of the stairs in a hurry to meet the person who was calling her so much. Opening the front door of her house a small teenage boy bumped into her unaware that the door had already been opened before he had reached for it.

"What's wrong?" Aerith widened her eyes as she watched the boy panting and resting his hands on his knees tired.

"There's… a man… hurt." The boy started saying between grasps for air. "You… have… to come… with me."

"Well, sure!" Aerith nodded closing the door behind her and starting to walk towards the market following the boy. "But shouldn't you have called the doctor first?"

"We did… But the wounds are deep." The boy answered. "He needs the kind of help you know of."

"It's not… as simple as that…" Aerith looked down thoughtfully. She knew what the boy was talking about. His father had been attacked by monsters one time he went to work outside of Midgar and they had poisoned him. After so many medications they had tried on the old man and so much time lost trying to cure him, Aerith finally tried using something she had always suspected she could do but never had the chance to try it.

The materia her mother had given her before dying was good for something after all. Still, she couldn't control most of its power yet and curing the old man took a lot of effort before she finally got it right. After she had successfully healed the man Aerith collapsed to the side warn-out to only wake up two days later.

She made that family promise they wouldn't spread the word around Midgar about what she had done afraid that people would start asking her to heal diseases she wasn't sure she could heal and was afraid of making it worse for not controlling the materia's power combined with her Cetra's power.

The family was forever thankful to the flower girl from the slums for what she did that they would never break the promise they had made to her, but seeing the man in the fields in the state that he was in and being the man a stranger to the city it wouldn't hurt to see if she could help. Apart from that family, only her adoptive mother knew what she could do. But Aerith always felt insecure about it. Those powers scared her in a way so she avoided thinking about it that much.

"Where is him?" She asked as they ran.

"Near our house, we found this huge tube and laid him there so the doctor could check him." The boy informed leading the way. "He was covered in blood, no one would say the man was breathing but my father felt his pulse beating slightly on his neck. He must be holding on to life by a very thin, almost breaking rope. We're almost there!" The boy pointed ahead.

Aerith looked in the direction he had pointed and saw a man in a white coat with shoulders and head down, pulling a white curtain to the side to leave the large metal tube without hitting his head on its top.

"What is happening doctor?" Aerith asked as she approached them at the tube's entrance.

"I've never taken care of a situation this bad." The doctor shook his head worriedly. "He had some bullets inside his chest I had to carefully take out. I took off his shirt and stitched the wounds and I was able to stop the blood from dripping out but I'm afraid there's not much I can do anymore. He's in a pretty bad condition. To tell you the truth I don't know how he is still alive."

"Who is he?" Aerith asked.

"I have no idea. He was dressed in SOLDIER uniform but had no tag on him." The doctor looked back inside and then back at Aerith. "He seemed like he got into a very serious fight. He needs time to recover now and we'll see if the wounds start getting better but I have to say I'm not sure he'll make it. I'll come back to see him tomorrow but now it's pretty much up to him and his will to come back. "

"Thank you doctor." Aerith smiled and the doctor left after shaking her hand firmly.

She stood outside the metal tube for brief seconds just looking down at the ground.

_SOLDIER uniform?_

She thought while shaking her head out of the idea that was already forming in the back of her mind. Giving one step forward, her hand reached for the edge of the curtain covering the inside of the faintly illuminated tube. Slowly she pulled the light cloth to one side making way to go in. A gentle breeze blew as she moved her hand causing her hair to wave slightly.

She placed her right foot carefully on the metal surface and her eyes little by little followed the man's feet to his legs, bare chest covered with white ligatures tied around it but already they had tiny blood stains appearing on its surface and then finally the two emerald beams met his face.

His eyes were closed and his face had the red vestiges of a blood stream running down to his neck. Spiky black hair contrasted with his own white skin.

It was him.

Immediately tears started running down her cheeks and she lifted both hands to cover her mouth. She noticed her hands were shaking and her head felt dizzy which caused her to lose her balance and her ankles to lose strength. She had to lean on the tube's wall not to fall flat on the ground. She noticed looking back at him that his breathing was very brief and almost unnoticeable.

"Z-Zack." She whispered stammering.

"Are you alright?" The boy called from outside, he noticed how pale white Aerith's skin looked like.

"Yes." Aerith didn't take her green eyes from staring at his body. "You can go if you want. I'm going to stay here for a while." She struggled to make her voice sound normal.

- To be continued

* * *

**Note: **Poor Zack… Well that's it for chapter 4! I hope you liked it! I want to thank everyone for all the reviews you guys sent me and a special thanks to my friend Prexistence, seriously, she's awesome! Thank you everyone, I really hope you don't give up on me!


	5. The Report in good hands

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 5: **The Report in good hands

* * *

_Darkness. _

"_Hey Zack!" He heard Angeal's voice echoing somewhere through the black void. "Quit being lazy!" _

"_But I feel so good here… so relaxed." _

"_Aww man! This is boring!" Angeal laughed. "Living is the real deal!"_

* * *

"I went praying for you this morning in the church… Do you remember our church? The flowers are blooming so well." Aerith kneeled beside Zack while dipping a piece of cotton gently in the warm water of an earthen pan and softly cleaned his face from the red stream of dry blood that coloured his white skin. "But then I was startled by someone crashing down the roof, just like you did when I first met you."

"_Is this __yours?" The blond haired man asked looking around at the flower bed. He acted as surprised as you did when you saw the flowers! "I'm sorry…"_

"_It's ok… they broke your fall." I told him._

"_He said he was a mercenary and he was dressed in a uniform just like yours. I asked him to help me get home because the Turks appeared and I was afraid they would do something to me. To tell you the truth he reminded me of you…in a way."_

"_It's not the first time they follow you?" The man asked surprised once we reached the safety of my house and I shook my head, of course not, they are always around. _

"_I ha__d to tell him I am an Ancient. I kept getting the idea he wanted to tell me something but I have no idea what it was. He bought me a flower earlier, before falling down the roof of the church. He said he had given it to a girl named Tifa who is working at a Seventh Heaven bar or something like that. When you get better, we should go there. You promised me one date remember"_

"He also had eyes like yours, with a strange glow… mako infused." Aerith kept telling him while cleaning his wounds. She paused to caress his cheek with the back of her fingers, tracing a line from the top of his eye and down next to his mouth. "But yours are prettier!" She smiled but then suddenly her eyes looked blankly at him wishing he could open his again to look at her.

By then Aerith had already tried healing him with her materia but what she was only able to do was close the surface wounds he had from the bullet holes and there were no scratches in his arms anymore. Also the knees where he had taken serious damage were almost fully-healed. But Zack remained motionless. Asleep. As long as he kept breathing Aerith wouldn't stop trying.

"He asked me about the Cetras, but I myself don't know much about them. All I know is that we can speak with the Planet and unlock it. When we die… we return to a place called The Promised Land."

"He said his name is Cloud Strife." As soon as Aerith pronounced his name, the fingers in Zack's right hand twitched lightly.

* * *

Cloud woke up startled by his dreams and sat up looking around. The curtains covering the window of the Inn he was staying were letting the small amount of morning light that the city's plates allowed to reach the streets came in by its corners. Getting up, he drew the curtains to the side letting the light come in and illuminate his body.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly and reached for the uniform trousers he had folded on top of a bedroom's chair. When he picked them up upside down he noticed a piece of paper falling down onto the floor from one of its pockets. After picking it up, he unfolded it carefully and scanned the content of its text with his eyes. Hurriedly he proceeded to the outside of the Inn.

* * *

Aerith closed the white curtain behind her and held the earthen pan full of reddish water against her waist holding the other edge with her hand to go change the water and return to try to use her powers on Zack again. But as she started walking towards a faucet in the middle of some metal-built houses she noticed by the corner of her eyes someone's shadow stopping a few feet next to her. She turned and saw the man she had met yesterday standing there.

"Oh hello!" She smiled resting the earthen pan on the floor. "Going already?"

"Yes I need to get to Sector 6 to go up to the city again." Cloud answered looking intriguingly at the water recipient on the floor.

"Oh… There's a sick man I'm taking care of…" Aerith noticed the direction of his gaze. "He… means a lot to me you know?"

"I asked around to know where I could find you." Cloud looked back at her. "I wanted to give you something before I left." Cloud stretched his arm to her revealing a piece of white paper that he handed her. "You said that your materia has always been good for nothing… I found this in my pocket and thought it could help you."

"What is it?" Aerith took the paper hesitantly.

"You should read it." Cloud nodded assuring her. "I don't remember clearly but I think I took this from a mission in the Shinra Mansion a while ago, or it has been in my uniform's pocket before I even had it I don't know."

"Oh…" Aerith looked closely at Cloud's face and she couldn't help wondering if he was feeling well, he seemed confused about something. "What happened to you Cloud? Do you need any help?"

"No… I'm fine." Cloud shook his head promptly. "About what's written in there… promise me you won't take it personally…"

"Ok! But don't worry that much! Everything will be alright!" Aerith smiled kindly not thinking about her at all but worried about him. She picked up the water recipient once more. "Well then... Thank you for everything Cloud, I will read this as soon as I change this water."

"One more thing…" Cloud interrupted Aerith's march, thoughtfully trying to remember something long forgotten but that was trying to make way and become clear in his memory. There was something familiar in that girl; something about her name he wanted to remember. "Good luck with your friend." He shrugged unsuccessfully.

"Boyfriend." Aerith giggled and Cloud returned the smile with the corners of his lips. "By the way, if you want to go back up to the city from sector six, the only way is through Don Corneo's mansion! The security has been tightened."

"I'll keep that in mind, thank you." Cloud turned in the opposite direction, leaving the girl dressed in pink with her thoughts.

She reached for the hot faucet coming from the brick wall and turned it open while she emptied the pan down the framed drain on the floor. Unfolding the piece of paper Cloud had given her while the water filled the earthen pan she lifted the paper in front of her chest. Her mouth opened in surprise as her nature-green eyes read it attentively.

**Shinra Report number 2990**

**Ancient Experiment **

**Number of subject: 134**

After many attempts to understand the workings of these beings, we finally came to some clearings. The subject in matter was able to use her powers without any source of influence by any kind of materia, although they are perfectly able to use materia they can work without it as well.

It appears that the only materia she cannot use or comprehend is the one called Holy and when she tries to use it, it interferes with her own Ancient powers making them less potent or useless. It seems this kind of materia is meant to do only one thing and they all refused to confess what it is.

The Holy materia they carry with them is not the portal to the Promised Land, however it is believed it contains great power within it. The ways of its usage are yet to be discovered.

After interrogating the subject continuously, the subject refused to give us anymore answers.

After the tests and research done on the subject she did not survive.

**- End of Report**

Aerith's eyes filled with tears as she finished reading the report. It disgusted her the way they referred to the poor soul they concentrated their experiences on as "subject". She wasn't a subject, she was a person, she could laugh, cry, smile, walk, feel. How dared they kill all of her family to try to reach the Promised Land, a place that was out of their reach in every way possible. That Ancient could have been a member of her family and because of what they did to them Aerith was the last one of them alive.

One of a kind.

And she felt so lonely at times, so misunderstood.

"_Promise me you won't take it personally."_

How could she not take it personally? But Cloud was right, he didn't give her that report for her to know what they did to the Ancients, he wanted to help her understand her materia and her Ancient powers. Crumpling the piece of paper with her shaking hands she rushed back to the metal tube tripping on the water pan but leaving it there spreading the water all over the dark floor.

No wonder she couldn't get hold of her materia, she didn't understand what to do with it.

"Let's do this." Aerith kneeled beside Zack but this time instead of inputting the green materia inside her wrist, she pushed it to the side making it roll to the corner of the small space they were in.

Aerith closed her eyes and concentrated on healing Zack. Breathing evenly and slowly Aerith started feeling a sort of warmth eradiating from her chest. She asked the Planet to help her heal him, to grant her the opportunity to make Zack come back from his slumber and so the warmth became stronger. She opened both hands with their palms up to the sky in front of her chest and tried to balance the warmth in between them. It started getting heavier and she struggled to keep the pressure only in between her hands without it leaving her seize.

She slowly opened her eyes and saw a fluorescent green bulb of light hovering in front of her. As it glowed the light blew a tender comfortable wind to her face. This was it; she could control it perfectly after so many failed attempts to do it. The Holy materia holding back her powers were making it harder for her.

Slowly she controlled the light green radiance down towards Zack's upper body until she pushed it into him with both her hands.

"Please…" She whispered panting from pushing the strong light into his body. "Please let him come back."

Zack's body lifted a few inches in the air and glowed in a brilliant white light. Seen from the outside, the huge metal tube flashed once causing the curtain to burst open vertically in one sudden blow and then it went back to silence and calm a second later.

Zack opened his blue eyes and Aerith smiled happily and releaved before falling down to the side next to him, asleep.

* * *

**Note: **Ah! They just don't get the chance do they? When one is awake the other one is asleep, now Zack is awake and Aerith goes to sleep! I hope you liked this chapter! Next chapter will be the reunion… Finally! Thank you so much for the reviews everyone! I really appreciate it!


	6. The Hero Returns

**Author's note****: **Hi everyone! First of all, thank you for all the lovely reviews people have been sending me!! You're great and you know who you are! :D Well, I feel like explaining something before this chapter and here it goes: as you may have noticed I have been sort of following the game line from FF7! But of course, if I reproduced the exact aspects of the game it would be boring right? So I'm following the game in a way but definitely not entirely! I'm making up things of course to create my story! So yeah, I hope you enjoy reading it! Thank you so much!!!

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 6:** **The hero returns**

He carried her in his arms worriedly and carefully down the road avoiding the inquisitive gazes upon them as he walked towards her house which was the last one of the street where some red and yellow colours could be seen in the corner spreading from the flowers in her little garden. Her head was gently leaning on his right shoulder as he carried the girl and every two seconds he checked on her face soundlessly sleeping.

Her chestnut brown hair was covering her cheek and her light pink lips were pressed in a thin line. Her cheeks were fading red; she looked tired and as she slept it seemed as if she had just run a marathon.

What has she done?

Why was he alive?

How did she find him?

What brought him there?

Those were all questions he had to remember to ask her when she wakes up. She would clarify him. He felt so confused, his chest was holding in a feeling of betrayal from what had happened to him before he thought he had died. Shinra turned against him; everything he believed in felt like a knife had impaled him through his back and contorted in it leaving an untreatable wound there.

He was angry but he had to keep it real. Acting with his heart would cause him to barge into Shinra and kill every living person in there who was responsible for what had happened to him and Cloud. He didn't know what became of Cloud. That was another question to add to that list he had for Aerith if she could help him. Maybe she had heard of something.

No… He couldn't react by instinct, Aerith needed him sane. His first priority now was her. After all, she waited for him all those years, she kept writing and wishing to hear from him. She was probably the reason he was still standing, so first he would take care of her, be by her side and then he would make a plan to deal with the other situation. He needed to know the truth about Shinra, but that didn't matter for now, he would not think about it anymore.

Apart from all of that, he felt fine for someone who had almost been killed by a whole army. Nothing was hurting and his body felt healthy enough.

Once he reached the house, Aerith's adoptive mother's eyes widened tearfully as she looked up at the tall SOLDIER carrying her daughter. She had met him almost five years ago one day Aerith had brought him there to have lunch with them. Elmyra liked him in a heartbeat. He was everything she had hoped for to her adoptive daughter and she knew how happy he made Aerith. When he was gone it was like half her life was sucked away from her although one who didn't know her enough wouldn't notice.

Elmyra was well aware of where Aerith was going everyday for about two weeks when she left the house to only return at night. She had informed her mother that Zack had returned and that he needed her there so the woman was not surprised to see Aerith asleep or Zack awake. But still, she couldn't help feeling amazed to see him there after so long has passed.

She walked Zack to Aerith's room and left the two there closing the door behind her with one last worried glance at her daughter.

Zack laid Aerith down on her single bed and looked incessantly at her peaceful figure. It came to him then that he hadn't seen her in what seemed like forever but she looked exactly the way he had imagined her to be after five years. She hadn't changed much; she looked more grown-up of course. After all she was seventeen when he last saw her.

He smiled slightly as he realized she was dressed in pink just like he had asked her to be every time they knew they would meet. Also, the pink ribbon he had offered her was there on her hair. There was no ring on her finger so he couldn't help feeling happy she had not been taken from him, at least he would like to think about it that way.

A feeling of kindness and admiration towards that girl overwhelmed him as he kept looking at her. He felt a sudden knot forming in his throat, regret for leaving her like that without any sort of news from him. But why had she been so devoted to him through all this time?

Love… He finally knew what it felt like.

"Sleeping beauty." He whispered while leaning down and pressing his lips tenderly to her forehead before pulling a chair to sit down by her bed. "I have so much to thank you for." He rested his head between his hands passing them along his dark hair and looking down at the floor.

"This was definitely not the way I imagined our reunion to be you know." He let out a tiny laugh and shook his head while looking back at her. "I'm going to tell you how I had imagined it would be but you have to promise me you won't say I'm mushy."

"I had thought you would see me rising in the distance surrounded by light and then you'd start running full-speed towards me with this huge smile on your lips! Then when we finally touched, I'd catch you in my arms and lift you by the waist in the air swirling!" Zack smiled widely making the gesture with his arms of catching her in the air and hugging her tightly. But looking down at her his smile faded little by little. "Wake up soon… please… So you can laugh at me, with me."

* * *

Outside at the edge of the desert ahead the air felt hot but there was a light breeze blowing which made the sunny day pleasurable. A group of tree were about to go into their next destination.

A piercing sharp pain stroke Cloud's brain causing him to grab his head in between his hands and fall down on his knees holding in a cry of pain as he bended on the ground throbbing. The other two members of AVALANCHE quickly ran to him helping Cloud up worried about what was happening to him.

"Cloud!" Tifa called to him.

"What's wrong man?" Barrett's strong voice asked as he helped him up by the shoulders.

"Nothing." Cloud lied since he was feeling better now. He was hiding the fact that he had been getting strange dreams at night and sudden flashes of memories from different events suddenly appeared in his head through that sharp pain and a flash of light once in a while. Tifa and Barrett exchanged uneasy looks not convinced by his answer. The time was coming when he had to tell them his story before he got to them, but not right now…

Cloud looked back one last time at the doors of the dark city of Midgar they were leaving behind before turning his back and walking away followed by his two friends and avoiding the feeling inside him of leaving something unresolved there.

* * *

Zack stretched his arms up and yawned sitting on his chair, irremovable from Aerith's bedside. Unexpectedly, Aerith's eyes started moving, blinking as she gently tried to open them only to be hit by the morning light coming from outside. Zack smiled widely realizing she was finally waking up. His heart started beating faster, his stomach felt nervous that she would soon be talking to him again. He waited there, grinning happily for her to notice he was there beside her. After so long has passed, he was there; he kept his promise to come back… Well he didn't say how he'd come back, but he did.

"Fred… is that you?" Aerith mumbled in between semi-closed eyes and in a rough voice looking at Zack.

"Fred?" Zack's smile faded and he got up from the chair in shock. "Who the heck is Fred?" He exclaimed in a shriek.

"I'm just teasing you…" Aerith's eyes were fully opened now and she grinned at him letting out a small clear laugh before sitting up on her bed, knees hanging down from its side. "Welcome back!"

"That was so not funny! You almost scared me to death with that Fred!" Zack shook his head but then he realized what he had just said, not the best choice of words to express himself. "And I could tell you the same thing. You slept one day and a half all the way through! You got me worried about you."

"One day and a half?" Aerith blinked. "That must be my new record. I thought it would take me longer to wake up."

"Don't even joke about it!" Zack almost yelled. "It looked like an eternity you were out. I… thought I'd never hear your voice again."

"Zack…" Aerith rose to her feet and got closer to him shaking her head at how impatient he had always been. Zack remained frozen, his body tightened at her proximity. She lifted her arms and placed them around his neck resting her forehead on his chest as he laid his chin on the top of her head raising his arms around her waist.

Time seemed to stop in that moment and it felt like he couldn't breathe or swallow while feeling her touch.

"You're here…" She whispered letting the tears fall silently to the surface of the white shirt Elmyra had given him that was once from her husband.

"I'm sorry it took me a while." Zack truthfully replied closing his eyes and narrowing the embrace while letting his fingers go through her hair and softly caressing her neck with his lips. He still couldn't believe he was finally touching her, he needed to make up for all the time lost.

* * *

"This should be remembered as the day Aerith Gainsborough sees the blue sky for the first time in 22 years…" Zack grinned looking back at the apprehensive girl following him down the street. After Aerith had promised him she felt perfectly fine and Zack got all the answers for all the questions he had for her they felt that there was still so much more left to say but they needed some time away from that place, some time just for the two of them and that had to be outside the city. "Wow… We're getting old."

"Are you calling me old?" Aerith raised an eyebrow at him.

"Not at all!" Zack apologized smiling.

Suddenly they heard unfamiliar footsteps approaching them and abruptly coming to a stop just behind the two. They slowly turned to see a tall man in a black suit with pale white skin and dark hair tied in a pony tail standing there looking with wide shocked eyes at them and stading there statue-like by the picture of the two.

"Tseng…" Zack's mouth dropped open.

**- To be continued**

* * *

**Note: **And that's it for now!! Uh Tseng! Thanks for reading!! Until next chapter!!


	7. The Turks

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 7:** The Turks

"Tseng!" Zack called again surprised to see him but even more surprised at the expression on his face. Tseng looked down to the ground and closed his eyes thinking about something they couldn't have guessed. It was then the Turk lifted his hand to reach for his gun buckled in his belt, took it out and pointed it at Zack. "What are you doing man?" Zack motioned to get his sword in defence but it wasn't there on his back. _Force of habit._ He thought while blocking Aerith from Tseng's way behind his body.

"I'm sorry." Tseng shook his head sadly but remained with his arm stretched holding his gun in his hand pointing it in the direction of Zack's head. "You were supposed to be dead."

"Well sorry I disappointed you!" Zack replied sarcastically glaring at him. "You're not seriously going to kill me in front of her." He glanced behind him at the girl who was staring attentively at Tseng above Zack's shoulder, she looked concentrated on something. Her lips trembled lightly as if she was ready to say something but hesitated.

"I wasn't planning on it, but I am following orders." Tseng coolly replied.

"What's wrong with you?!" Zack asked unbelievingly. "Why are you here then?"

"I came…" Tseng paused for two seconds before answering. "To take her." He tilted his head to look at Aerith and took a better grip of his gun expecting the next reaction from him. And he was right to do so. The minute Tseng stopped talking Zack had already jumped to him trying to reach his gun but Tseng avoided his advance by rolling to the side. Zack quickly followed him and blocked Tseng by the shoulders placing his strong arm around his neck and starting to strangle him. In despair Tseng shot two times to the air in the directions he could without noticing where to.

"Stop!" Aerith yelled at the top of her lungs. "STOP!"

They did as she asked them and Zack immediately loosened his grip at Tseng's neck but remained blocking his moves as he held him by the shoulders with his arms. Tseng also stopped shooting and kept back motionless in Zack's grip.

"Why are you doing this Tseng?" Aerith asked approaching the two men.

"Stay where you are!" Zack cried at her. "Please don't come near him." Aerith did as he told her to and stopped walking.

"You weren't like the others…" She continued speaking while Tseng avoided meeting her gaze. "You didn't follow orders you didn't agree with."

"How do you know that?" Tseng looked up at her, this time to meet the confrontation.

"Because if you were… I'd had already been captured." She continued.

"You don't know what you're talking about. I have to take you." Tseng looked away again. Aerith took one step closer to him to Zack's discomfort; he closed in on the grip to make him unmovable. She reached for the man's chin with the tips of her fingers closed in her hand and lifted it so he turned at her.

"What are you doing Aerith?" Zack asked surprised and she winked at him playfully reassuring him.

"The Tseng I know would help us." Aerith smiled kindly at the Turk.

"I can't do that…" Tseng tried to escape Zack's arm with no success. "I'm sorry." Part of him wished Zack had never existed, part of him wished that things could have been different between him and the flower girl, part of him knew she could never stay with him and that small part of him was making him react like that because he knew Zack would take her far away from him. Seeing Zack there with her had awakened feelings he thought were long gone.

"Tseng, please." Aerith pleaded. And she wasn't helping Tseng's resolve; he could never resist those eyes. "For old times sake?" She tried.

"I'll be in trouble in Shinra." Tseng confessed sighing.

"Who cares what you'll be!" Zack exclaimed disgusted by the Turk's words. After all that has happened he couldn't believe that man was still willing to be loyal to the corporation who had almost shattered his dreams. Unless there was more behind the story he was telling. Had he missed something in between?

"The gun I just shot…" Tseng spoke. "It has an interior chip inside each bullet. Every time we press the trigger and a bullet expels from the tube it activates it and sends a signal to the closest member of the Turks to call for help as well as to Shinra. It's a new technology they created for safety reasons." He explained glancing around expecting some company. "Soon enough someone will be here."

"And why should we believe you?" Zack gritted his teeth impatiently. "That could be an excuse for us to set you free."

"You don't really have a choice do you?" Tseng gasped for air from the tight grip of Zack's arm that didn't quiver a bit. "Unless you're lucky… I suggest you do as I say."

"What do you mean unless we're lucky?" Zack asked.

"Tseng please let us go." Aerith asked softly while looking around nervously. She didn't want to get caught; not right now that he was finally here with her. She didn't want to jeopardize everything by getting caught and Zack killed for good this time

"You have to let me go first." The Turk requested.

"I knew it!" Zack didn't let go of him. "I don't trust him, not anymore. Aerith what if he hurts you?"

"I would never hurt Aerith!" Tseng yelled indigenised.

"Oh really!? That coming from someone who pointed a gun at her and said he was going to take her." Now it was Zack's turn to be incredulous.

"I wasn't pointing it at her!" Tseng replied annoyed. "I was just following orders to take her I wasn't going to hurt her."

"And what do you think they'd do the minute you walked into Shinra with her? Offer her some cookies with tea so they can sit down and chat? Give me a break Tseng!"

"Let him go free." Zack felt the cold end of a gun on the side of his head followed by a slightly familiar woman's voice. But what surprised him the most was the astonished gasp of the voice as soon as she recognized who he was. Zack slowly turned his head to the left to put a face on the voice he heard and saw standing there a long wavy brown-haired young woman with light brown shallow eyes widened at him.

"Zack…" The young lady whispered in shock with eyes filling with tears.

"Great…" Tseng rolled his eyes. "Just as I didn't hope it would happen…"

"Cis- Cissnei?" Zack stammered letting Tseng loose. The man in the black suit took advantage of his distraction and quickly got away from the spiky-haired man, fixing his black jacket and tie as he did.

"It really is YOU!" Cissnei jumped excited and without thinking she placed her arms around his chest laughing.

"Oh?" Aerith blinked watching Zack embarrassed and giggled.

"Hey!" Zack quickly pushed Cissnei a few steps back glancing at Aerith. "I swear I don't know what she's doing!" He laughed nervously.

"Oh don't be silly!" Cissnei quickly replied punching Zack lightly in the arm. "I'm just really happy to see you! Every one thought you were… you know…" She looked down avoiding the matter.

"And I really will be if you keep popping up like mushrooms and threatening me with guns to my head! Geez no one deserves dying three times in a month!" Zack rested one hand in his waist.

"I'm sorry about that Zack…" Cissnei bit her lower lip feeling bad about what she had done. "But I didn't recognize you at first. It seemed impossible to be you…"

"I don't mean to interrupt but we should resolve this." Tseng suggested at last.

"What's there to resolve?" Zack asked turning to glare at Tseng. To him, Tseng wanting to do something to Aerith was reason enough not to trust him ever again and he was more than willing to forget every bit of friendship that he might have had with him, a long time ago if it ever was there he wasn't sure about anything anymore. Just the thought of having Aerith suffering in any way made his blood start boiling and his hands to turn into fists. "You just have to let us go."

"I'll escort them to Midgar's exit." Cissnei commanded turning to Tseng. "You should head back and report the shotguns. They'll be asking questions soon."

"What do you mean escort us to the exit?" Aerith asked confused.

"Well it's obvious you two can't simply walk around Midgar freely. There are Shinra men everywhere and you, Aerith, practically have "wanted" written all over Shinra's building. Also, they are well aware of Zack's situation, it seems he has left quite an impression on men there. They know him and if they spot him running around here who knows what will happen?" Cissnei explained. "What a double team you guys make huh?"

"So that basically means we are not allowed into Midgar." Zack concluded thoughtfully.

"For your own safety and until things calm down around here, yes it basically means that." Tseng nodded reaching for something in his pocket and bringing out a large envelope that he handed to Zack who hesitated on picking it. "Take this money with you and before you leave Midgar make sure you buy some weapon. You don't know what's out there and if you want to succeed protecting Aerith you're going to need it."

"Didn't I succeed with you?" Zack smirked at Tseng who rolled his eyes back at him.

"Don't you go playing hero out there." Tseng replied before turning his back at them and walking away. "Times have changed. You'll need protection." He waved them goodbye with the back of his hand and disappeared in between some houses.

"Follow me." Cissnei directed the way.

* * *

"Before you go there's something I want you to know." Cissnei grabbed Zack by the arm and prevented him from walking. Noticing the sudden pause between the two Aerith kept walking leaving a safe distance between them but far enough so she politely wouldn't hear the conversation.

"Look Cissnei…" Zack scratched the back of his head. "I know you've always sort of had this thing for me but you have to understand I'm with Aerith… She's the one…"

"What?! NO!" Cissnei yelled appalled. "Ewww I can't believe you just said that! You totally ruined the moment now!"

"Then… What?" Zack blinked confused.

"I'm… sort of… your sister." Cissnei looked down grabbing her own arm by the elbow uncomfortable.

"What?" Zack laughed unbelieving the young woman in front of him. "That's not possible. How-"

"Not by blood. Your parents adopted me two years after they took you to be a SOLDIER at the age of 13." Cissnei explained still not looking at him but staring blankly down at the ground. "I was 10 at the time, homeless, hungry with no where to go… Your parents took me in and raised me ever since. They told me about you and how proud they were of you. Whenever they received a letter from you telling them of your missions and adventures I'd always listen to them amazed at your doings! I've always looked up to you like a model to follow. I wanted to follow my big brother's steps. That's why I, later on, joined Shinra."

"Why didn't they ever tell me this?" Zack was serious now looking at her.

"They didn't want it to get to you; you were so focused on your job that I might have distracted you in a way. They felt that you'd get all protective of your little sister that you'd do stupid things. They told me you've always acted by your heart rather than your head." Cissnei gave him a tiny smile. "And that was my decision too. I didn't want to be an extra burden for you to worry about. I have your last name in my name, Fair. But I never use it; I don't want to draw attention. Well I've said it now it's time for you to go!"

"Hey wait!" Zack called mortified. "You can't just drop the bomb and leave! Do you realize what this means? I can't just leave you here all alone!"

"You did before didn't you?" Cissnei smiled at him. "And I can protect myself well enough don't worry! See, that's why I didn't tell you all of this before! Now go! Aerith is waiting!" She turned him around and pushed him by the back hiding the fact that she was about to burst into tears for she knew she wasn't going to see him again that soon again. "Oh by the way, Tseng asked me to give you this." She handed him a small black box with white tape surrounding it which had in big black letters the word "confidential" across it.

"What is this?" But before he had time to look at her again, Cissnei was gone.

"Is everything alright?" Aerith's voice came from behind him.

"Yes…" Zack paused for a moment to look at the blank place where Cissnei had been seconds before. "We're ready to go!" He made sure the new sword he had bought was where it had always belonged in.

* * *

**Note:** Hi everyone! I can't thank you enough for the lovely reviews you sent me!! I hope you liked this chapter! Zack and Aerith will be on their own from now on!! Thank you so much for reading, and feel free to tell me what you think!


	8. The Blue Sky

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 8: The Blue Sky**

Before reaching Junon, the group of three decided they should camp for the night to rest. They mounted their instant tents and started a bonfire in the middle of the small camp. Cloud sat thoughtfully looking at the fire burn while Barrett was starting to snore leaning on a fallen trunk of a tree abandoned on the ground. Tifa joined Cloud sitting next to him on the floor and hugging her legs to her chest.

"What are you thinking about Cloud?" She softly asked following his gaze into the orange fire.

"Nothing important." _Sephiroth_, he wanted to say but hid it as he was used to.

"Nothing you say…" Tifa smiled kindly. She sighed thinking she would give anything to know his thoughts. "You look different Cloud."

"How?" Cloud asked curiously, his eyes didn't leave the burning logs.

"I guess Shinra changed you after what I've seen you do. You finally became what you wanted to be back when we were children." Tifa slowly rocked her body back and forth and rested her chin on her knees while she spoke and Cloud waited silently for her to continue. "I've seen you fight and when you do it's like you really enjoy doing it. They have turned you into this fighting machine. When you get an objective you only focus on it and then suddenly there is nothing else around you, just the enemy and you. And your eyes… I've seen them glow when you fight. I don't blame you though… After all this is why you left our hometown to do right? SOLDIER first class." Although she looked at him in awe whenever he used his skills, Tifa spoke worried about him, afraid she'd lose him to that kind of monster she was afraid to think about.

"That's right…" Cloud nodded maintaining a serious expression on his face not daring to look at Tifa.

"I just wish you could trust me more. I wanted you to talk to me." Tifa looked up at the starry sky for a long moment just sitting there next to the quiet blond man and then got up to go to sleep in her tent.

_I wish I could too… But I don't want to involve you in what I'm supposed to do__ for now. Things have been difficult already so far, I don't need the fear of something happening to you, again. Next time I probably won't be so lucky. Just you following me is a risk I'm constantly taking. _

_I know he's out there and I will find him to make amends. _

* * *

Zack silently crossed the exit doors of Midgar and walked head down completely lost in his thoughts to notice the hesitant steps the girl next to him was taking each time they got closer to being entirely uncovered by the edge of one of Midgar's plates.

_Cissnei is my sister? Dang it man, I thought my sister was hot when I first met her…_ Zack shuddered at the thought. _I sure wasn't expecting that. How could have they hide something like that from me?_ _What if I had gone there to visit and found a little brat playing with my stuff? "Oh! Zack! We weren't expecting you! Huumm…This might feel a little awkward but this is your sister!"_

"A little awkward… You think?" He said it aloud distractedly.

Aerith glanced at him but figured he must have not been talking to her which made her thankful because she was starting to see the blue colour of the sky already appearing as they walked under the protective roof above them and the ending of the dark shadow of the plate was getting closer with each step. Soon enough they would be out in the opening and into the morning light. She had to focus on that.

_Angeal's sword… I haven't had enough time to think about that either… I remember giving it to Cloud when I was attacked_. Zack felt the weight of his new sword on his back and it was nothing compared to the previous one, not that it also had been much of a burden to carry thanks to the magnet in his uniform that did most of the work for him. Still, it didn't feel right without it there, he had grown attached to it. _Well, wherever it is now it's in good hands!_

Aerith came to a halt just at the edge of the plate's shadow on the floor. Her breathing started to accelerate and as much as she wanted to move her legs they didn't obey. A few steps ahead of her and already illuminated by the bright sun light being off of the plate's shade Zack noticed he was suddenly alone.

He looked around at both sides and then back at where Aerith stood petrified looking at the contrast between the dark shaded ground and the lighted side one. She had a concerned look upon her face and there it was, Zack regarded, whenever she was worried about something her lips pressed together in one firm pink line just like the way she had them at that moment.

"This is it." Aerith finally spoke. "One more step and I'll leave Midgar at last."

"It's going to be alright! I'm here with you!" Zack smiled walking back towards her.

"Yes, but…" Aerith spoke reluctantly. "I have a feeling I won't be back here that soon. And Elmyra will be alone."

"Don't worry about her! It's not like you're leaving for good!" Zack noticed as her expression didn't change. "Do you trust me?"

He smiled delightfully while extending his hand for her to take. Aerith watched as his lips puckered and his bright blue eyes stared at her confidently. She found herself wondering how she had been able to stay away from those eyes for so long. Looking back at that time it felt like she had been asleep while away from him. He had just woken her up back to life, which in a way was true since she had been asleep before they met a few days earlier.

As for Zack he couldn't hide the fact that he was having fun encouraging someone who had never left those boundaries, especially if that someone was Aerith.

"Yes." Aerith directed her green eyes at his blue ones and carefully lifted her hand to take his. Slowly he pulled her to him taking one step back as she took one forward to the light. A second later the sunlight had completely engulfed her body and the plate was no longer above their heads, only the light clear blue sky.

She looked up at it but not being used to be in such an opened place and just like she thought it would happen she felt light-headed and as if the ground was rumbling under her feet. Hopefully Zack was there to hold the flower girl and realizing her knees were failing on her he quickly placed his arms around Aerith's shoulders clenching on to her as she stumbled.

Her face came inches away from his and Aerith felt her cheeks instantly burning red in his embrace. She could feel his warm breath on her lips tempting her to move her head forward and close in on his. He could see her eyes firmly shut, he just didn't know if it was because she was nervous of their proximity or the fear of falling or both.

He smirked looking down at her and she slowly opened her eyes to see him smirking.

"I said I wouldn't let you fall." He smugly said.

"I'm sorry!" Aerith quickly pushed him by the chest away from her and embarrassed with her actions. Her heart beat slower but she could still feel her face flushed. If that had been an attempt for Zack to kiss her she almost went for it but achieved in time their first kiss wouldn't be based on her dizziness because of the sky. Or he probably just meant to catch her. "I feel so silly. Have you ever met anyone that is afraid of the sky?"

"No…" Zack shook his head a little disappointed she let go of him. "But then again, I never met anyone like you. I mean it in a good way."

Aerith swallowed and managed to smile at his words.

"Can you do something for me?" Zack asked placing one arm around her shoulders and pointing with the other one towards the horizon ahead. Aerith nodded. "Just take a close look around you, to the sky, to the desert and the sun."

Aerith did as he asked and embraced the warm light of the sun rays gently hitting her face while looking up at the blue sky where a couple of white clouds moved very slowly. The breeze was warm and carried the smell of sand with it. She had to agree with him, the outside was beautiful. Her eyes absorbed every image intently and she smiled relieved the scary part was now over.

"What do you think?" He asked joining her on the smile.

"Thank you for being patient with me." She turned to look at him realizing his arm was still on her shoulders, she felt safe.

"Don't worry about it."

"I do have one question though."

"Humm?"

"What now?" Aerith wondered where were they going and how were they going.

"That's a very good question." Zack looked around at the nothingness.

Suddenly they heard the roar of a gear running along with the loud sound of the iron doors of Midgar closing behind an old baby-blue motorcycle which had a small open truck at its back, coming out of from the city.

"There is always a solution." Zack grinned widely winking at Aerith and taking a few steps forward to start waving with both arms at the approaching vehicle.

"Wait!" Aerith grabbed one of his arms and pulled him to look at her. "Do you think it's safe?"

"Yeah... Shinra doesn't use this kind of transportation." Zack lifted his arms again so the man inside the small motorcycle could see them.

**- to be continued**

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**Note:** My oh my! Where are they going next? Thank you so much for the people reviewing!! It keeps me going! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Until the next one!!

* * *


	9. The Journey Starts

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 9: **The Journey Starts

They travelled face to face leaning against the sides of the baby blue truck. The sun was up and burning and if it wasn't for the wind caused by the vehicle's movement Aerith had the feeling she would have already melted. Their blue and green eyes exchanged glances from time to time as they had been travelling silently for what seemed like the longest three hours of their lives. It wasn't like Zack to be quiet for a long time which caused Aerith to wonder what was going through his mind and why the suspicious glances he was giving her.

It was then Zack suddenly realized there was a rectangular shape standing out on his left pocket. He reached for it and took out the black box Cissnei had given him right before they left Midgar.

"What is that?" Aerith almost yelled above the sound of the loud engine roaring and against the wind.

"Tseng wanted to give me this!" Zack yelled back at the curious flower girl. He started tearing the tape holding the box closed apart until he was able to open its transparent lid revealing inside it an amount of different types of envelopes which contained pieces of white paper neatly folded in four inside each one of the envelopes.

Zack randomly picked one up and after unfolding it he read it with his eyes. His expression turned soft and Aerith noticed a smile forming on his lips as he read its content. That's when she started recognizing the familiar stationery he was holding between his hands and the hand-writing she could faintly notice from the other side of the paper.

"Wait…" She whispered to herself before talking loudly back to Zack. "Is that what I think it is?"

"These are all the letters you sent me when I was gone!" Zack looked up at her wide-eyed in a grin full of contentment. Aerith's cheeks immediately turned into a soft red blush remembering some of the things she had written to him a long time ago. "This one says my absence is almost unbearable."

"What?! No it doesn't! Let me see that!" Aerith stretched her arm to catch the letter Zack confidently let her take. She scanned it carefully for a brief minute in between the bounces of the vehicle. "Yes, it does…" Aerith sighed defeated.

"Hey… Why was it almost unbearable and not totally unbearable?" Zack asked still grinning at the embarrassed girl before him.

"I think I didn't want to seem too needy!" Aerith looked down recollecting from the times she had spent without him and the effort she had to make to live through another day. "But I did miss you a lot." She said in a lower voice while he held his head down looking for another letter to pick from the box. She was relieved he didn't hear that last part.

"I wished I could have gotten all of these!" He started unfolding another one. "This one says the flowers are selling a lot better and you're thanking me for giving you the idea for it. It also says here that you're worried I haven't replied back and you're unable to call me because the sign is always interrupted." Zack read it seriously now, he felt sorry for her, sorry that he hadn't been able to respond to her and still she continued trying to reach him. _You don't get this kind of devotion from any person, not that easily. I'm lucky she felt that way towards me, of all the people, she chose me and it really makes me wonder why... I must be very special. _Zack held a dreamful expression on his face while thinking. Aerith lifted one eyebrow looking at him, wondering once again what he could possibly be thinking about.

"That reminds me!" Zack snapped back to reality pointing one finger at her. "What was that deal with Tseng? That 'for old time's sake' deal?"

"Oh…" That took Aerith by surprise. _Had he been thinking about that all the while and for a way to ask me about it? _Aerith debated in her head. "That was very subtle Zack…" _How can I explain it to him?_ "Before we met, you and I, I used to talk to Tseng a lot."

"How did you meet him?" Zack interestedly asked.

"We met for the same reasons he was there the other day." Aerith looked down sadly. "He was already working for the Turks and they maintained a continuous watch on me. They were there everyday making sure I didn't run away just waiting for the day they could catch me and take information from me."

"About what?!" Zack felt revolted by the actions of those people, until he remembered his sister was one of them and he felt like getting one paper bag to breathe inside it. Just thinking about her sister's job made him start to hyperventilate.

"The Promised Land, of course." Aerith continued. "Since the beginning of Shinra they have been interested in knowing where it is and how they can get to it."

"And what is the Promised Land?" Zack asked.

"That's the place where all the Ancients go when we die." Aerith told him. "We don't know how to reach it from the Planet; we just know we will reach it when we die. That's why so many Ancients were sacrificed before me. That's why they were constantly watching me; they were trying to see if I did something that might help them get there."

"Aerith…" Zack looked intently at her.

"Tseng was there back then." Aerith interrupted him shaking her head. "But he didn't consider me as a 'subject'. He saw me as a normal teenage girl just trying to fit in with the others. He used to meet me in the sand park and we would talk all day!"

Zack's stomach contorted with a feeling of resentment towards that time. If he had met her sooner, he would make sure she didn't have to go through that angst.

"But what I felt for him was no more than a good friendship. He was like a big brother to me." Aerith smiled kindly.

"Then why did he want to take you away?" Zack asked bewildered.

"I sometimes had the idea he didn't see me as a little sister…"

"Oh… OOO!" Zack exclaimed unbelievingly. "Because of me! That explains the creepy attitude he had, he didn't want you to leave! Oh gross Tseng! He's much older than you…"

"It's alright…" Aerith comforted him. "Don't' be so hard on him."

"I won't." Zack solemnly stated. "But just because I know he doesn't stand a chance against me."

"Oh really?" Aerith smiled intrigued. "And how can you be so sure about it?"

"Because of this…" Zack looked down to read another one of Aerith's letters. "I will be waiting for you here no matter what. This feeling I have towards you cannot ever be erased." He quoted.

"That was probably me desperate to hear from you, I couldn't tell if you were receiving any of my letters. There had to be one that would make you say something!" Aerith replied lying to herself.

"Huh-huh!" Zack smirked at her.

Unexpectedly the loud engine came to a full stop and the silence overwhelmed them although their ears were ringing.

"This is as far as I go!" The man inside the cabin yelled breaking the soothing silence. "Through there there's a chocobo farm." The man pointed southeast in the direction of some abandoned rocky grey mines. "They will be able to give you food, shelter and transportation there."

Zack gave the man some gil as a mean of thanking him for the lift and the grateful man drove away to his destination, leaving them in the middle of a deserted grassy vast field in the direction of some uninviting mines where the chocobo farm stood beyond them.

"Looks like-" Aerith shouted but realized she was talking way too loud not used to the quietness yet. She cleared her throat and noticed it hurt a little bit from all the yelling talk they had. "Looks like that's the only way to go." She repeated lower and not trusting the abandoned mines at all.

"Don't worry." Zack made sure he had his new sword with him. "It will be easy to cross those mines. Oh! And don't think you'll get away that easily with the letters. I'm reading every single one of them as soon as we get the chance."

"As long as you don't laugh about what I have written." Aerith sighed.

"Why would I do that?" Zack blinked. "I don't want to be missing a thing of what you have been through for the last five years. I want to know everything."

Aerith froze looking up at him and he lifted his hand to softly stroke her cheek.

"We don't need to rush things between us. We have all the time in the world now, I'm not going anywhere without you." He smiled down at her. "Come on." He took her hand in his and pulled her behind him towards the caves.

The brunette looked at their locked hands thinking that Zack kept surprising her as they spent more time together.

* * *

Aerith had seen Zack fight before. But nothing like the way he was doing it now. There were monsters inside the caves as she suspected there would be but they seemed no match for Zack. She couldn't believe her eyes as he slashed their skin apart with no extra effort. She held her staff tightly between her hands prepared to fight along side with Zack but she just stood there puzzled while he did all the work.

"Not bad." Zack paused for one moment to take a good look at his new silver blade before striking again. "Not bad at all."

There was dark blood spatter all around her and even if one of the monsters got a little bit too near from her before she had time to blink it was already slashed in two. When it was over Zack would pick up her hand and run ahead through the cleared path until some more beasts reappeared and the killing started again. It amazed her but at the same time she didn't know if she should feel scared. _It's Zack… No reason to be afraid… right?_ She kept saying to herself.

Finally they could see the sunlight coming through a round door at the end of a rocky corridor leading them to the exit. Aerith could breathe again knowing they would soon be out of that deadly suffocating place.

But once they reached the outside of the mines there was something waiting for them there they could never have expected. Stuck vertically in a tall tree's trunk by the head, the body of an enormous white snake stood curled up around the wooden trunk. It had long thin marks of blade cuts through its scaled skin which was dripping red blood to the ground around it. Its black huge eyes were opened lifelessly staring ahead.

"This is sick." Aerith gasped covering her mouth at the shocking vision of the snake. The air smelled like blood and rot.

"There is only one person I know that could have done this…" Zack stared distortedly at the dead snake in front of them.

"Sephiroth?" Aerith asked looking away from the carcass.

"How do you know Sephiroth?" Zack looked back at her astonished.

"Everyone knows… or used to know who Sephiroth was, Zack." Aerith answered. "It was the first name that came to my mind."

"But I've seen Cloud dispose of him…" Zack said thoughtfully.

"Oh? Do you know Cloud?" Now was time for Aerith to be curious.

"And how do you know Cloud?"

"Are we talking about the same Cloud?"

"I don't know… are we?" Zack asked confused.

"Let's see… The Cloud I know has the same eye colour as you do, same clothes and spiky hair only his is blond." Aerith described.

"It IS the same Cloud!" Zack exclaimed taking one step back in awe. "Where did you meet him?"

"In Midgar!" Aerith answered excitedly. "He fell from the roof of the church onto the flower bed."

"What?!" Zack was more and more confused. "Him too? You have to fix that roof you know!"

"Can we continue this conversation some where else?" Aerith asked at last glancing back at the snake. "That is making my stomach sick."

"Oh right!" Zack grabbed her hand once again and took her out of there into the green fields where they could see in the distance the yellow-painted barn of the chocobo farm. On the outside the sun was already setting in the horizon leaving in the sky a mixture of orange and purple, they had to hurry up to get to the farm.

Who knew what could be out there at night?

* * *

There was a feeling of emptiness inside Cloud's heart as he looked up at the sky already starting to fill with bright stars breaking through the purple colour. Under the cargo ship he was travelling on, the water crashed quietly hitting the moving ship. It was peaceful outside and yet everything seemed like a tornado inside of him. Even Barrett and Tifa dressed in Shinra sailor's uniforms couldn't distract his mind from having nightmares. He didn't want to go to sleep again; afraid the dreams would return to haunt him.

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**Note:**Hi everyone! I can't thank you enough for the reviews you sent me! Thank you so much! I hope I don't let you down as I post! I owe a big, huge THANK YOU to my friend Prexistence for giving me the idea to use the snake part and for helping me out on things!

I hope I'm not totally killing Final Fantasy as I write!


	10. The Anxious Hearts

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 10:** The Anxious Hearts

Two days have passed since Aerith and Zack arrived at the welcoming chocobo farm. Its owner had arranged with them that he would provide them with food and a place to sleep if they could give him a little help taking care of the chocobos while they were there. But they would only be staying for four days which by the time they would leave, the owner agreed to pay them for their effort. They didn't have that much _work_ to do in the farm though; their job consisted in giving the chocobos their food and take them out to the fields to run. On the other hand they felt thankful to the old man for being so thoughtful towards them.

But Zack felt more relieved for other things rather than the shelter and food they were granted with. Those four days in the farm would give him time to think about what he was going to do next and where would they go. He thought about Cloud, it seemed he was out there and for what he knew about him he would be capable enough to wander around searching for people he should not be searching for.

If Sephiroth really came back from wherever he had been hiding, they would have a huge problem on their hands. At night Zack would stare into the dark sky through the sky-light of the roof's barn where he was sleeping next to Aerith in a small room on top of a ladder. At night he would stare at the stars with both hands under the back of his head, just thinking, until the sun came up again bringing another day with it.

It was at night when everything was silent and quite that certain images haunted his mind. He thought the nights would ease his heart, but they wouldn't.

That was one of those nights.

He saw Sephiroth looking maliciously at Jenova's body in Hojo's lab. He saw him holding her dead head on his hands, turning around smirking at Cloud. He remembered how he used his sword against him, mad in his own delusion. And finally, Zack saw him rising in between the fire that destructed Nibelheim that awful day, like one death angel with only one dark wing coming from the flames. Except that that was no angel.

"Can't sleep?" The sweet voice of the young woman laying next to him in the yellow dry hay bed interrupted his thoughts. Her eyes were round and glowing as if she had been awake all the while just trying to figure out what he was thinking until she gave up guessing. She laid to the side on top of her arm and head rested on the pillow, looking at him.

"Too much on my mind." Zack replied smiling up towards the sky-light.

"Care to share?" She asked. "Maybe I can help clear away some space."

"I was wondering where we should go next." Zack sighed closing his eyes. He didn't want to put her at any risk and if they were going after Cloud who probably was after Sephiroth he was exactly putting Aerith at risk. But he didn't want to leave her. He promised her he wouldn't leave her again. "What you told me about Cloud… And if it really was Sephiroth killing that snake…"

"You think we should try to find Cloud." Aerith finished it for him.

"He might need a little help. What do you say?"

"I say we should go find him." Aerith rolled up on her back placing both hands with fingers interlocked on her belly. "If he really needs our help then we'll help him. If he doesn't, well, at least you have reencountered an old friend!"

Zack paused for one moment just processing her words, thoughtfully looking above.

_She says 'we'… I wonder if she knows what Sephiroth is capable of. That snake was nothing. _

"Thank you." He finally turned his head to smile at her. "You did clear some space. I needed to hear you say that."

"Then you will be able to sleep." Aerith looked back at him. A pair of sapphire eyes shimmering by the white faint light of the first quarter moon on the sky met hers. His gaze was warm, comfortable and he felt the same way as he looked at the emerald ones of the young woman next to him.

_I won't leave you and I won't let anything happen to you._

Next thing Aerith remembers was having a strange feeling inside her stomach until she closed her eyes to sleep.

That night she dreamt she was by herself in a blue crystal round altar. She looked around her frightened and searching for him but the place was empty. She could hear the sound of dripping water in the distance. He wasn't with her or anywhere near and she remembers the panic she felt in her heart. She felt alone again just the way she had been feeling for the last five years before he walked into her life again. There was a void inside her chest. She wanted to scream but somehow she knew deep inside her that it was her purpose to be there on that place without him.

She woke up restless the next morning but when she did he was sitting there next to her already awake or not having slept at all. He was looking at her with a worried expression in those sapphire blue eyes.

"I was about to wake you." He said. "Were you having a nightmare? You were moving so much I was afraid you'd fall down from the platform."

Suddenly she reached for him hugging his chest tightly between her arms and resting her head on his shoulder.

"You're here." Her voice was shaking.

"Of course I am." He passed one hand through her brown hair placing the other arm around her carefully. "Were you dreaming I was gone? I understand the despair." He grinned.

"I would so punch you in the arm right now if I wasn't so happy to see you." Aerith giggled breaking the embrace. "We should go check on the baby chocobos. They must be hungry." Aerith climbed down the ladder head down and with her heart anxiously beating. Usually her most vivid dreams meant for bad signs.

* * *

There had been one new addition to the AVALANCHE group. They were walking through one forest when suddenly Barrett caught one shadow that had come from the bushes charging for their materia. The shadow wasn't expecting to be caught so it was to her surprise and deep sadness that she had to return the materia to their owners and apologize for her "stupidity" as Barrett had called it. Yuffie Kisaragi happily joined the party thinking she should be able to get plenty of materia if she followed them.

They agreed to ride the buggy to the nearest town to fill up on food and water before they could continue. The nearest town was Gongaga.

There were just a few houses in the small town and what stood out from it the most was its cemetery. There was something in that town that made him feel uneasy.

_This was his hometown. _Cloud thought while walking down a dirt road that led to the centre of the small town. _I remember when we compared our birthplaces… He was such an easy person to talk to…And he was right, he beat me in hometown subject, his is smaller._

"Well well well… What do we have here?" A mocking shrieked voice interrupted the party. A spiky red-haired man smirked tilting his head up while looking at their puzzled faces. Next to him was a tall bald man wearing dark sunglasses looking in their direction with arms crossed to his chest. "It's payback time…" Reno placed himself in battle position lifting his electric rod to his shoulder while Rude lifted his hands to chin level turning them into threatening fists.

"You never learn do you?" Barrett grinned amused by the up-coming battle.

"You want me?" Without thinking twice, Cloud drew his buster sword from his back as it glittered in the sunlight. "Come and get me."

* * *

"Aerith?" Zack's voice called worriedly from the outside of the small compartment where the young woman sat stroking the feathers of a sick chocobo laying down on the straw floor breathing shallowly. "I've been looking all over for you…"

"Yeah, I've been here." Aerith quickly wiped away her teary eyes before he could notice. "Do you need anything?"

"Yes!" Zack did notice her sudden attempt to hide the tears from him but he just guessed she was sad because of the sick chocobo. He was wrong.

"What do you need?" Her voice trembled a little.

"You."

"Oh…" Aerith rose to her feet and joined him closing the wooden stable's door behind her taking one last glance at the chocobo.

"Come with me!" Zack pulled her by the hand. That was becoming natural.

The old man from the farm borrowed his old motorcycle to Zack so he could take Aerith to the top of a hill that stood majestically in the middle of the green grass fields contrasting with the flat plains. Aerith had to hold Zack tightly by the waist to her discomfort of riding on a motorcycle. She didn't trust those machines at all.

"Do you know how to ride one of these?" She asked before they took off looking petrified as he climbed onto it and motioned for her to sit behind him.

"Sure!"

"Something in that answer makes me doubt you." But before she had time to rethink her decision to climb onto the two-wheeled vehicle she already had her eyes shut firmly and her head leaned against the back of his neck holding him on to her life. Although the old motorcycle didn't reach a considerable speed for her own sake, it still made her feel nervous.

"We're here." And then it was all over. "One of your letters that I've been reading said you wanted to see the sun set for the first time with me. Well, we kinda didn't have that chance yet since we've been on the road. I mean a proper chance. With no one around, nowhere to rush to. Just me and you and the sun itself."

"Zack I-"

"You don't have to say anything." Zack interrupted her putting one finger gently on her lips. "Just enjoy this moment with me."

There was a golden orange mat spreading across the green fields from the horizon, the same colour reflected in the few clouds on the sky.

"It's beautiful." Aerith felt tears watering her eyes and struggled to keep them from falling.

"Is there something wrong?" Zack asked.

"No, it's just that I wasn't expecting this…"

"Well, I figured that when we leave to search for Cloud we probably won't have a calm time to ourselves like this again, at least not until we find him." Zack looked into the distance scratching the back of his head. "I really like that you are here with me." And he meant for every word he said. Despite the bad times he predicted that could be coming, as long as she stayed with him, every thing would turn out alright.

"Before we leave tomorrow…" Zack started. "There's something I wanted to tell you." He walked closer to her bringing up one hand to gently caress her cheek with his fingers. He rested his forehead on hers and closed his sapphire eyes to better breathe in her flowery scent.

Suddenly, they were interrupted by a loud explosion noise coming from the sky. The next thing they saw was an airplane with a tail of smoke from under it coming down in their direction. Zack quickly covered Aerith with his strong arms and pulled her down to the ground protecting her head. They felt a strong wind above them as the airplane passed by their heads and heard it land down on the ground behind the place where they had left the motorcycle.

The airplane twirled around a couple of times before it finally stopped hitting one tree as it did. It had formed a cloud of grey smoke where it landed when its pilot lifted the cockpit's door minutes later and popped his head out to see the damage.

That was it for Zack.

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**Note:** Thank you everyone! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Thank you so much to the people reading!! Until the next one!


	11. The Destiny

**

* * *

**

Zack's Final Mission

**Chapter 11: ****The Destiny**

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zack yelled furiously approaching the smoking red plane partly crashed on the tree by the side. Zack started climbing up the plane by the wing which its end was touching the ground making a sort of ramp towards the top of the plane. He wanted to see who the pilot was and eventually get him out to hurt him if he was alright.

"Hey!! Stop!!" The blond pilot removed his goggles from his eyes and placed them on his forehead to wave his arms up and down widening his eyes and shouting at Zack. There were two white circles around his eyes the shape of the round goggles he had on while the rest of the face was covered in dark smoke from the air. "Get down from there! You'll ruin the paint job!"

Zack stood still and looked around at the old plane under his feet. He blinked watching as the paint was a fading red colour full of rust and holes that allowed seeing the silver metal underneath the paint job.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Zack exclaimed incredulously. "Do you call this a paint job?"

"If you keep stepping on it, it won't be for much longer!" The pilot replied rolling his eyes.

"Would you get down from there so I can beat you up or not?" The SOLDIER yelled back impatiently. He could not believe that man. "You almost killed me and my gilf—Aerith, and my Aerith!"

"I almost died and you want to beat me up kid?"

"You're fine aren't you?"

"Yes… I'm a little shocked and my leg hurts a little bit thank you for asking."

"Oh don't worry about it… HEY! Will you come down or do I have to go get you there and damage the already ruined paint some more!" Zack tapped his foot on the wing provoking the man inside the airplane.

"OK! OK!" The man started to get up from his seat. "I'll go down… geez…"

Aerith, who was watching from a safe distance, could only sigh watching the two arguing. Zack had always amused her with his personality, one of the reasons she liked him so much. She felt like she was no longer able to live without him but him on the other hand… No she wasn't going to start thinking about sad things… things she wasn't sure would happen. She shook her head

"The name is Cid. Cid Highwind." He stretched his hand for Zack to shake. Zack squeezed it hard enough to feel the pilot's bones cracking under his strong grip. Cid didn't want to show any signs of weakness but there was a tiny tear forming at the corner of his eye. "Strong hands shake." He managed to squeak.

"So… Don't you have anything you want to tell us?" Zack asked noticing that Aerith was walking towards them.

"Humm… Oh yeah… Sorry about that." He looked back at the wrecked airplane. "I went through some bad storm and I think some lightning hit the airplane and damaged something in the engine. It over-heated and then there was an explosion and I didn't have much choice but to urgently land here, it was the safest place to do it. And I wasn't expecting any people to be here! Are you ok Miss?" He turned to Aerith.

"Yes I'm alright." Aerith nodded grabbing Zack's arm.

"Well no harm done then!" He laughed resting his hands on his waist.

"Yeah… You were lucky." Zack narrowed his eyes at him keeping his voice neutral.

"Oh I know! Why don't I make it up to you?" Cid proposed. "I should be able to fix it and when I'm finished I'll give you guys a lift anywhere you want to!"

"HA!" The dark haired man laughed unbelievingly. "Do you think we would be stupid enough to get on that plane with you?"

"I don't see what the problem is." Cid replied blinking.

"You just crashed!" Zack pointed one arm up showing him the bad shape the plane was in.

"That was nothing!" Cid shook his head. "Look… I can assure you there is no pilot in this world who is better than me! In case you haven't noticed, I'm here after I crashed am I not? How many pilots do you know that have crashed and lived to tell the story?"

"You were lucky!" Zack yelled.

"I'm good!" Cid yelled back at him.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but can I talk to you for a minute Zack?" Aerith pulled his arm to distance themselves from the pilot for a while. "Do you mind giving us some time to talk?"

"Go ahead!" Cid was actually thankful of Aerith. "I'll go check on my baby and see what I can do." He pointed with his thumb behind his back at the airplane. Aerith smiled and pulled Zack away.

"Zack this could be our chance." Aerith made sure they were far enough that Cid couldn't hear them. "He will be able to get us ahead on Cloud."

"What are you talking about Aerith? This guy is more dangerous than Sephiroth himself!"

"He has one point though… he WAS able to land with the plane on fire and was alright afterwards!"

"Aerith you don't understand… I can't let anything happen to you… How will I live with myself if something happens to you?" Zack shook his head. "I promised myself I would protect you no matter what."

"But you will be there with me. If the plane goes down again I'm sure you'll do the impossible and save me!" She giggled and although Zack was sure about what she had just said he still felt worried. "Come on Zack, do you really want to ride a chocobo all the way across the world in search for Cloud?"

"It might hurt my back a little bit." Zack looked down at the ground thinking.

"See?" Aerith laughed taking his hand. "He fell from the sky to help us. It's our destiny."

"Aerith… Do you believe in destiny?" Zack stared into her emerald green eyes seriously.

"Of course!" Aerith nodded reassuringly and played with his hand on hers. "You fell from that hole in the church's roof didn't you? Maybe that hole was there for a reason and I think that reason was for you to find me. Destiny."

"I- I guess so…" Zack smiled slightly.

"We have to use these opportunities destiny grants us with. That plane almost fell on top of our heads. I think it's pretty obvious what the message is."

"Hey… Did you have anything to do with it?" Zack raised one eyebrow remembering how special Aerith really was.

"I didn't… But the Planet might have had." Aerith smiled shrugging.

"You really are something." Zack smiled back. "Fine… We'll go with that Cid." He sighed looking back at the man toggling with some wires of the exposed huge engine of the airplane. "I hope our number isn't up the minute we take that plane." He started walking away towards the airplane.

"Don't worry… it won't be." Aerith mumbled looking down sadly. She couldn't tell him about that dream, not after what she heard him say and it was just a dream after all, there was probably no reason for her to be worried. _You're being silly… My dreams aren't always right. _She smiled and hurried to follow Zack.

"Oi!" Zack called at Cid who turned his head startled. Apparently he was in full concentration and determination to fix his 'baby' he didn't notice the SOLDIER approaching. "It seems like we're going to take that lift you suggested." Zack sniffed folding his arms to his chest and closing his eyes.

"Oh! Good, good." Cid nodded grinning. "But just so you know, I'm just doing it because I feel bad for the girl. You should have been nicer to me."

"Don't worry; I'm not happy at all to be accepting your help too. But Aerith insisted we take it."

"Smart girl."

"When do you think we'll be ready to go?" Zack asked. "Does it look bad?"

"No not at all, I just have to replace a few things here but I think I brought a few spares with me. We'll be up in no time."

"Fine, then we'll rest for the night and leave tomorrow morning. Do you think you can handle it or do you need any help?"

"I'm the only one who touches my baby. Tomorrow morning it will be ready then."

* * *

"WOOW!" Yuffie stared bewildered at the yellow Titan materia in her hands. "It's so shiny and perfect!"

"But it's not for you." Barrett quickly took the yellow round globe out of her hands and shoved it down his pocket.

"HEY!" Yuffie cried as she only had time to blink before the globe was no longer between her hands.

Suddenly the buggy they were riding in made a loud bang and came to a full abrupt stop. Silence took over the group. They looked at each others with worried expressions.

"What now?" Tifa asked to no one in particularly.

"Is it dead?" Yuffie asked looking around through the windows.

"I think so." Cloud opened the door and stepped out into the fields. Taking a look around he noticed they were in a rocky path full of huge mountains and near an old village with houses neatly constructed in harmonization with the landscape. On the very top of the orange-coloured mountain and above all the houses built amongst that mountain stood a gigantic telescope pointed towards the sky.

"Yuffie, I will let you use the Titan materia if you find me someone on that village that can help us fix the buggy." Cloud didn't need to repeat what he had said for Yuffie had already started running full speed towards the village ahead.

"See… She is helpful after all Barrett." Tifa laughed staring at the straight cloud of dust Yuffie had lifted while running down the sandy ground.

"This town is called Cosmo Canyon." Barrett folded the map he was carrying with him.

"How far is Nibelheim from here?" Cloud asked turning at him.

"It's not far but it would take us one full day to reach by foot."

"Then Cosmo Canyon it is first." Cloud started walking followed by the other two.

_Nibelheim?_ Tifa thought while glancing at Cloud's back as he walked. _I wonder if he remembers._

* * *

"Hey Aerith…" Zack sat down on the grass next to the young woman who was resting on the ground leaning against a tree. They were back at the chocobo ranch for the night and from there they could see the orange light of the burning bonfire Cid had made on top of the hill where he was working on replacing the damaged pieces of his airplane. Aerith smiled at Zack and looked back at the top of the dark hill faintly illuminated by the fire. "Is there something you want to tell me?" He asked following her gaze.

"Why do you ask?"

"You woke up different today." He answered. "I don't know… you look sad."

"No…" It amazed her how he had always been good at guessing how she was feeling. She had forgotten for a while he had that power over her. How could he possibly know she was worried about something if she had tried her very best during the day to hide it from him? "I'm just a little tired. We had a hectic day today."

"Humm…" That didn't convince Zack. He knew something was troubling her but he didn't want to force her into telling him what it was. When she was ready he was sure she would let him know. No matter how bad it was. "That's not it." He smiled. "But I'll understand if you don't feel like telling me what's wrong. I just want you to know though, that I'm here for you."

"Thank you Zack." He loved the way she pronounced his name. "Oh right! YOU had something to tell me!"

"Err…" That caught him off-guard. "It can wait. Cid totally ruined the moment." He scratched the back of his head uneasily.

"Are you nervous Zack?" Aerith softly giggled noticing the light pink on his cheeks. "Do I make you nervous? After all this time and after what we have been through?"

"First class SOLDIERS don't ever get nervous! We face our fears and we embrace our dreams with head held up high! Ahh… I'm loosing touch of it." He shook his head down giving up.

"What?" Aerith laughed.

"I used to be the best and I used to believe in myself." Zack replied. "Now I don't even know what I'm saying." He thought about Shinra's betrayal.

"You're still the best." Aerith lifted his chin up with her hand. "Most of the SOLDIERS like you that I have encountered back in Midgar looked like mere robots following the orders they were given. You are different and better than the others because after what they have done to you, you're still you. You're stronger than the mako inside you. It may have changed your strength a bit and turned you into a better fighter but it hasn't reached your heart. I don't know much about it but I can guess not many SOLDIERS can be proud to remain the same people they were after they get infused. You somehow are stronger than the mako."

"Aerith…"

"I'm glad I was able to meet _you_. And I'm really happy I get to spend a lot of time with you."

Zack didn't know what to say to that. She had an effect in him that caused him to paralyze, his brain couldn't think right when she talked like that. Every word she had said was right and it made him more confident. He just stared at her open-mouthed.

"Now, what was it that you wanted to tell me?"

"I can't tell you now… I just want to find the right time."

"Aww! It will kill me! Now you've made me really curious! Please tell me."

"I think you already know what it is I want to tell you." He placed his arm around her shoulders noticing she had shivered and pulled her closer to him so she could rest her head on his strong shoulder and get warmer. He smiled up to the dark sky. He was right, she knew because she felt the same way.

"What are you going to tell Cid tomorrow?" Aerith finally asked. "Where are we headed?"

"Nibelheim." Zack answered.

* * *

**Note:** Of course the pilot had to be Cid! Oh no! They're both headed to Nibelheim! Will they finally meet there? Just wait and see! :D There is a reason I have been delaying Zack and Aerith's love declaration but you'll find it out soon enough! Thank you so much for reading! Thank you so much for the people reviewing! Until the next chapter!


	12. The Town

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 12: ****The Town**

"Ok… Are we sure we want to do this?" Aerith crinkled her nose while staring nervously at the old airplane in front of them. Every time she looked at the airplane she could swear she saw new holes in the paint and new dents that weren't there before. That airplane was a wreck she realized uneasily. It surprised her how it could still fly.

"Weren't you the one saying we should take this opportunity?" Zack asked smiling at the anxious girl next to him that had tightly grabbed his hand. "That it was destiny what put us Cid in our way?"

"I know, I know. But, is it too late to change my mind?" Aerith bit her lower lip while leaning against his arm which made Zack grin proudly noticing how she turned to him for some confidence or protection. "Are- Are there any pills we can take to sleep while it flies?"

"Come on Aerith! You'll miss all the fun and beauty of the landscape!" Zack laughed shaking his head although he understood how she was feeling. "It's our only solution, and I'll be right there next to you."

Aerith nodded slowly and swallowed dryly. She was the one encouraging Zack to take Cid's offer and now she was getting cold feet about it although she had to admit the pilot's way of being and how the airplane looked like could make everyone insecure about flying with them.

"It's fine… I won't be scared." She took a long breath and closed her eyes concentrating on controlling her nervousness. _There's nothing to worry about. I made Zack agree to fly. Plus, Cid is a professional. _

Suddenly they heard Cid kick the engine from the outside and as soon as he did the engine growled a couple of times before shaking the airplane to life.

"Good as new!" Cid laughed placing his hands on his hips and admiring the airplane up and down. Aerith quickly turned around to leave but Zack was able to hold her by the waist with one arm to make her face him.

"It will be alright. Trust me." Piercing blue eyes met hers and suddenly there was no Cid around which was a relief, no airplane, no where to go to, just those glowing blue eyes and Aerith.

"I- I trust you." She stammered taken aback by his gaze. Zack smiled at her warmly and Cid helped them get to their seats behind him once inside the airplane. Making sure they had fastened their seatbelts Zack gave Cid a thumb up and Aerith tightly shut her eyes for the lift-off. Gradually the weight sensation of going up was no longer on their heads giving place to the constant movement of the machine once Cid had steadied the airplane.

"Are we there yet?"

"You can open them now." Zack laughed before whispering in her ear and above the loud sound of the thriving engine. Aerith had never seen anything like that before, the sky was a clean soft blue, there were only a few clouds in the sky and the ground looked like a mix of green and brown down below them. She slightly opened her mouth in awe as she gazed out of the window. She turned to Zack and smiled at him thrilled just to see if he was enjoying the flight as much as she was. He was right as always, it would be alright as long as she kept holding his hand firmly on hers.

"You're not scared are you?" She asked noticing him staring blankly ahead, thoughtfully.

"What? No… I've been through a lot worse than this." He said turning to the flower girl and grinning. "But I have to admit I'm a little scared of him." He tilted his head towards Cid.

"I think we will be alright!" Aerith said cheerfully.

"You look a lot better." Zack smiled back at her remembering that a few minutes ago she wasn't so sure they had made the right choice.

"Things don't look as scary once we finally try them."

* * *

When they could finally leave Cosmo Canyon they took with them more than a fixed buggy, a new member joined their group. Nanaki, or Red XIII, a native tiger of that village but also a former experiment of Hojo's lab back at Midgar that had managed to escape before it was too late for him. His grandfather, the elder of the tribe and a man with great knowledge, had taught them there are powerful materia scattered around the world, materia they didn't know could be so powerful. Helpful in the right hands but extremely dangerous in the wrong ones. Nibelheim was their next destination.

It had come the time when Cloud had to explain his friends what had happened there five years ago and what he had done before he met with them. Entering the small town he couldn't restrain the images of the fire from flowing in his head. Sephiroth rising from the flames, it was still so vivid in his mind. The town looked the same as before: the main round square with a small well in the very middle of it while most of the houses stood around it.

A small country town. His hometown, at last. But there was something different in Nibelheim that day. Scattered around the town but all headed in the same direction, towards the Shinra Mansion ahead, were dozens of men covered in black capes slowly walking.

"Do you think it's some kind of cult?" Barrett asked watching the men.

"Before we continue… There is something you all need to know." Cloud slightly turned his head back to look at the group behind him. He motioned for them to follow him into the Inn.

* * *

Tifa ran her thin fingers through the smooth surface of the keys of her piano. Her bedroom was exactly as she had left it to her surprise. She guessed that after the fire the villagers tried to reconstruct every house keeping their previous form as it once had been to respect the people who had died then.

Her mind was still processing the story Cloud had told them earlier. It was not coherent to what she had lived. He had come back there after he had left. He was present when her father was killed by Sephiroth. Then, why didn't she see him if she was there too? There was something going on with Cloud that she needed to pay attention to. She felt like she needed to be there to help him. Tifa sat down on her bed sighing and looked around until her eyes stopped to stare at the drawer of her desk.

_If I remember clearly…_ She walked up to the drawer and slowly opened it hoping that what she was thinking about was still there.

Inside the drawer was a squared photograph with three people in it.

* * *

"Finally we're here." Zack exclaimed looking around at the almost deserted town if it weren't for the suspicious cloaked men walking.

"This is small…" Aerith looked at the houses amazed. "We can't thank you enough for bringing us here Cid." Aerith smiled turning to the pilot behind them.

"Don't mention it!" Cid grunted and Zack rolled his eyes surprised they got there safe.

"Where are you going now? Do you want to join us looking for our friend?" Aerith asked glancing at Zack for support but he just crossed his arms to his chest.

"I can't go far now that you mention it… The tank is out of gas." Cid sniffed. "Hey you guys aren't on honeymoon or something like that are ya?"

"No!" Aerith promptly said feeling her cheeks getting warmer.

"Not yet…" Zack mumbled to himself.

"Then don't mind if I join ya!" Cid grinned at Zack who sighed defeated. "So who's this friend of yours we're looking for?"

"A SOLDIER like Zack." Aerith answered pointing at the black-haired man. "Except Cloud is blond." She giggled.

"That shouldn't be that hard to find!" Cid laughed. "Hey what's up with those?" Cid pointed at the men in cloaks.

"Do you think he will be here Zack?" Aerith shrugged but Zack was thoughtfully staring at the path leading to the Shinra Mansion, there was something in that place that felt wrong to him, there was a strange energy emanating from that path. He didn't want to think about the kind of atrocities the walls of that house hid amongst them. "Zack?" He finally heard the flower girl's voice reaching his ears.

"Yes?" The SOLDIER snapped back to reality but kept looking by the corner of his eye at the path.

"Do you think Cloud will be here?" Aerith repeated worriedly looking at him.

"Sure." Zack said absentmindedly. When he focused on something, Aerith thought, it was hard to bring him back.

Suddenly a local man came from the passageway looking a little dizzy and staring every two seconds back at the trail.

"Just give me a minute." Zack turned to Aerith before running in the man's direction. "Excuse me… Did you come from that Mansion?"

"Yeah…" The man nodded nervously.

"Is there something going on there?" Zack asked noticing Aerith and Cid approaching the two.

"I just saw a sinister man with long silver hair leaving the Mansion and heading for the Reactor! I check on the house once in a while but I never go inside, that house creeps the hell out of me!" The man explained shuddering.

"A man with long silver hair?" Zack asked unbelievingly.

"He looked at me threateningly when I told him no one was allowed in. He only smirked and made sure I saw his sword before moving along down the rail. I ran away from there as fast as I could!" The man shook his head; they could tell he got quite the scare.

"Thanks." Zack said and the man walked away mumbling something to the air.

"Sephiroth…?" Aerith asked looking at Zack who was staring blankly ahead frozen.

"Aerith…" He suddenly called and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Stay here with Cid. I have to see what's happening in there."

"You're going to the Reactor? No… No!" Aerith exclaimed loudly grabbing his arm. "Let me go with you."

"I won't take long… If it's Sephiroth in there I don't want him near you ok?"

"Zack please…" Aerith's eyes filled with tears while her hand tightened around his arm. "Let me go with you." Aerith couldn't deal with the fact that Zack was about to expose himself to that kind of danger. She remembered the horrid scene of the dead snake.

"I'm sorry I won't let you. Hey… Don't worry; I'll be back in a second." He smiled and slowly moved forward to kiss her forehead. "Could you watch her for a couple of minutes?" He turned to Cid. "No matter what, don't let her go there. Please."

"Yeah… No problem man." Cid nodded not fully understanding what was going on.

"Thanks." And he left followed by Aerith's green gaze until she lost sight of him.

"That's not fair!" Aerith yelled feeling her heart beating fast. "Cid I'm going after him. I can't just wait here." She gave one step forward but Cid's hand restrained her by the shoulder.

"Do you realize how dangerous it can be in there?" Cid asked.

"It's because I know how dangerous it is that I don't want him to go alone." She answered looking in the direction Zack had just disappeared.

"And what exactly do you think you can do against Sephiroth if it comes to that?" Cid asked amazed at her determination to go help Zack.

"I don't know…" Aerith's voice was shaky. "I almost lost him once Cid. I couldn't bare the same pain again… If I'm there maybe I'll be able to do something."

"Hold on a minute there! He didn't say anything about fighting anyone! He's just going to check on things! He'll be back soon enough!" Cid assured her, he didn't know what more he could possibly tell her do dissuade the girl from going after Zack.

"Aerith?" Someone called. Their heads both turned in the direction the voice had come from. Standing there in front of her was a tall man with spiky blond hair and a pair of shimmering blue eyes as blue as the most perfect of the sapphires she had ever seen, the same colour of the ones that belonged to the man that had just left her there. He still wore the same uniform he did when she met him, the same first class SOLDIER uniform Zack wore.

"Heeeeey! Look at that!" Cid pointed at Cloud in disbelief. "He fits the description you guys told me! What a small world this is huh?"

"What's going on?" Cloud looked from one to another bemused.

"Cloud!" Aerith exclaimed appalled. "It's you!" She smiled widely. "We were searching for you. How did he know we would find you here?"

"Who are you talking about?" Cloud blinked even more confused.

"Cloud you have to come with me!" Aerith pleaded.

"Where to? What's happening? What are you doing here?" Cloud shook his head.

"Zack and I have been looking for you!" Aerith finally said.

"Zack?" Cloud shrugged.

"Zack Fair." Aerith told him his name. "Your friend from SOLDIER."

Cloud ran as fast as he could in the direction of the Reactor, past the Shinra Mansion. He was too lost in his thoughts to notice he had heavily stepped on a puddle splattering water all over his leg.

_"That's impossible…" The blond haired man said thinking that if that was some kind of sick joke it was not funny at all._

_"It's not impossible; he was just here a minute ago!"_

Cloud kept running.

_"Are you sure? I- I-" I watched him die, he wanted to say._

_"Yes."__ She looked at him intently and he noticed the stray of a teardrop running down her cheek. She didn't look like she was kidding._

Cloud hastened to reach the end of the passageway that led to the Reactor bumping onto one of the cloaked men but he didn't bother to help him up.

_"Where is he now?"_

_"Someone has spotted Sephiroth__ going towards some Reactor. Zack went there after him."_

_"Stay here, I'll go get him." Before Aerith had time to reply Cloud was already gone. She tried to follow him but once again Cid didn't let her. _

"Zack. Hold on!"

* * *

**Note:** So you guys thought they'd meet this chapter... I don't blame you I thought that too but the story took another course and it will only be next chapter! :D Cloud is in for a surprise! Thank you so much for reading!! And thank you for the reviews! I can't get tired of thanking people for the support!!


	13. The Reunion

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 13:** The Reunion

"Calm down!" Cid was already dizzy from watching the brunette.

"I just can't wait here Cid!" Aerith cried walking from one side to another frantically. "What if something happens to Cloud too now? I shouldn't have told him… I should have just gone there myself. I feel so powerless!" Aerith sighed frustrated but she had to agree with Cid, what could she do better than two SOLDIERS against Sephiroth? But at least she wouldn't just sit there, that had got to be better than doing nothing at all.

"Excuse me…" A girl's voice interrupted Aerith's buzzing. The flower girl looked up from the floor to see a woman dressed in a tight mini skirt and a white tank top with red hiking boots matching her red gloves. She stared at Aerith with two big round ruby eyes and a warm smile across her features. "I was passing by and I heard you say something about Cloud. Is it by any chance a blond inexplicably spiky haired SOLDIER with blue eyes?"

"Yes." Aerith nodded. "Do you know him?"

"I'm travelling with him and the rest of our group." Tifa answered. "Have you seen him? My name is Tifa by the way."

"Humm… I'm Aerith." She smiled slightly but worry was spread across her eyes. "I might have done something stupid Tifa…"

"What happened?"

"He went after my friend to the Reactor ahead because Zack was going after this dangerously powerful man or whatever he is! I didn't mean to send him there, I wanted to go after Zack by myself but neither of them let me and this… this man! Isn't helping me at all!" She pointed at Cid glaring at him. Cid only yawned which made Aerith roll her eyes. Why couldn't he take the situation seriously?

"Who were they after exactly?" Tifa asked curiously.

"His name is Sephiroth." Aerith replied looking back at Tifa.

"Do you mind coming with me, Aerith?" Tifa asked closing her eyes when hearing the name. "We will be more comfortable speaking in my house, if you don't mind that is."

"Oh…" Aerith looked back at Cid unsure he would take her offer as well.

"Oh go right ahead, I'll just wait here so don't mind me!" Cid leaned against one post light and started lightening a cigarette absentmindedly. Aerith shrugged and followed her new friend back into her house which was just two houses ahead from where they had been standing.

"Don't worry, I'm trustworthy." Tifa noticed how uneasily Aerith was looking around her house. She could sense her nervous gaze and hands shaking slightly.

"Oh it's not that!" Aerith shook her head. "I just can't stop thinking about Zack."

"Just out of curiosity…" Tifa reached for something in her pocket and handed Aerith the small photograph for her to see. "Is this the Zack you came here with?"

Aerith eyes widened as she stared at the picture in her hand. Zack was standing in front of those same houses from the same town she was now in, next to the girl she had just met and… Sephiroth.

"It is…" The flower girl gasped. "How did you-?"

"Zack has been here before… with Sephiroth before he turned mad like I heard." Tifa explained. "It seems like he and Zack belonged to the same work team. They sort of used to be friends before. As much as I would love to go to that Reactor right now with you, I think it's best if we wait here for them. We might interfere."

"I guess… you're right." Aerith looked down wondering why Zack didn't tell her that before.

Aerith sat on Tifa's piano chair and rested her fingers on the white keys while Tifa went to the kitchen to make them some tea. She started playing a tune to distract her mind from wanting to go after Zack. Elmyra did well on teaching her how to play it.

* * *

_Five years ago… I have been to this Reactor. With Sephiroth. Sephiroth climbed these stairs._

The sense of déjà vu made his head spin making him hold the metal banister of the stairs to get some support. He lowered his head panting. _What is happening to me? Why doesn't it make sense? Where was Zack when I came here, I remember him here but I don't remember it clearly. Aerith told me he didn't die, that he is in there. How can that be?_

His head hurt madly and his heart was hammering inside his chest. Step by step Cloud dragged himself to the top of the stairs leading to the inside of the Reactor.

"Sephiroth!" Zack firmly called once he reached the first platform. Up the stairs and in front of where Jenova's torso was dipped inside a tube stood the majestic figure of the long silver-haired man with his back turned to Zack. He slowly turned around to see who was calling his name.

"My mother was right after all." Sephiroth smirked diabolically. His eyes were narrowed and devilish. He didn't show any sign of surprise to see Zack there. "You are alive."

"You weren't expecting that were you?" Zack asked returning the smirk.

"Actually it has always surprised me how you were able to last that long." Sephiroth remarked. "Tell me Zack… who healed you?"

"No one healed me! After this proof you still underestimate me." Zack couldn't believe how much he knew about what had happened to him. He feared he knew about Aerith being the last Cetra. Sephiroth had claimed before to be one too. He thought his mother was an Ancient. His blood started boiling inside his veins.

"How curious… it wasn't you who I was expecting to see here." Sephiroth kept speaking. "I had to summon a meeting to call for someone but this gathering will be much more interesting than what I was expecting it to be."

"What are you talking about Sephiroth? What are you doing here?" Zack noticed Sephiroth had given one step forward in his direction causing Zack to automatically draw his sword from his back.

"What happened to Angeal's sword?" Sephiroth noticed the sword Zack held in his hands wasn't the huge buster sword Angeal had given him a long time ago.

"That's none of your business!" Zack growled greeting his teeth.

"It should be interesting to know how well you do without it." As soon as Sephiroth said that he dashed towards Zack with his masamune in position to strike him. The black haired man was able to block his attack as two blades brutally collided to one another making a loud clinking metal sound. Sephiroth smirked and bolted to the right rounding his sword in the air and towards the side of Zack. Zack jumped in time to dodge the attack making his sword pause at the edge of Sephiroth's neck. He realized then Sephiroth had done the same thing. They both stood there holding their swords into each others necks.

"Not bad." Sephiroth kept smirking. "But you are not me."

"SEPHIROTH!" Someone yelled causing Zack to look by the corner of his eye at where the voice had come from. Sephiroth took that opportunity to advance on Zack and soon the masamune's tip was headed towards Zack's chest. Zack watched in slow motion as he moved his arms to block Sephiroth's attack but a shadow came faster from the other side in time to place a huge silver blade in front of both of them. The ringing noise of clashing blades echoed through the reactor's walls. In front of Zack was a crouched blond spiky-haired man holding Angeal's buster sword high in the air covering both him and Zack from Sephiroth's sword. Zack couldn't believe his eyes as he watched the scene take place.

"Isn't this nice?" Sephiroth let out a laugh. "Now the group is complete. What a reunion!"

"What do you want from us?" Cloud brawled; his arms were starting to shake under Sephiroth's powerful pressure of the sword. Usually Cloud didn't tremble like that but his head was already killing him with pain. Sephiroth jumped back away from the two.

"You have always been the weakest." Sephiroth closed his eyes.

"That's why I impaled you with your sword five years ago." Cloud countered standing upright but still holding his sword in his hands.

"Your powers don't come from you. All you have acquired was what the mako granted you with. But you were such a guinea pig that Hojo overdosed you with mako to see how far you would resist. Your body is probably 80 percent made of mako. Hojo had much interest in you because of your resistance to that sort of exposure. You absorbed the mako into what you already had within you making you stronger. But you sometimes have relapses don't you?" Sephiroth told. "Therefore it's no shock to see sudden strikes of mako running through your veins causing these attacks of powerful strength. But of course you have weaker times as well, times you can't even lift that sword with your hands."

"Those are all lies!" Cloud screamed falling down to his knees and holding his head between his hands.

"Just because you wear a first class uniform doesn't mean you are one in the heart." Sephiroth smirked. "You are but a mere puppet. A clone of Zack. That's why your memories are all scrambled up with his. The SOLDIER that came with me to this reactor five years ago was Zack, not you."

"That's not true!" Cloud yelled. "I was here that day!"

"Believe what you want if it makes your pathetic life happier." Sephiroth turned his back at them but tilted his head to the side to look at him by the corner of his eye. "I've got what I came here to get." He lifted his hand up and Zack saw a black stone glittering in between his gloved hand. Black materia. And with that, Sephiroth let out his dark wing from his back to lift off and leave through the top of the Reactor.

Zack snapped out of his dazed state and looked out at the man kneeled on the floor. Slowly he placed his hand on Cloud's shoulder but Cloud strongly moved it away from him with his arm.

"Is it true?" Cloud managed to say between his cries of the pain his head was bursting with. He remained kneeled on the floor, his elbows helping to support his weight.

"Of course not Cloud!" Zack assured him kneeling down on the floor beside Cloud. "Sephiroth's mind is more twisted up than ours believe me."

"I watched you die." Cloud lifted his head a bit to glare at the black-haired man. "How do I know you're not a clone as well?"

"That's ridiculous Cloud trust me. I've seen clones before…" Zack looked down thoughtfully. He sat down leaning his back against the wall and resting one arm on his bended knee. "They are not like us." He remembered Angeal and Genesis. "The clones I've seen are deformed abominations of nature. They don't even last more than a few days. Plus you couldn't be my clone if you wanted to with that yellow chocobo head of yours."

"I'm so confused Zack." Cloud tried his best to laugh at what Zack had said but the pain was almost unbearable. "Tell me I have been here before."

"Of course you have!" Zack exclaimed. "You were part of our group that day five years ago."

"But I wasn't like you." Cloud finished.

"You were an infantryman that time." Zack remembered.

"Then I have never made it to first class…" Cloud shook his head and rested his forehead on the floor. Zack kept silent. "I just wish the headache would stop. Will you stay here until it does?"

"Yeah…" Zack closed his eyes leaning the back of his head to the wall behind him. "I have been looking for you."

"So I've heard." Cloud said remembering the flower girl at the town. "How did you survive?"

"Someone found me and… Aerith helped me." Zack answered thinking about Aerith's smile.

"She's quite special isn't she?"

"You have no idea." Zack smiled. "Thank you for helping me out with Sephiroth."

"Don't mention it. It's good to see you again." Cloud tightly shut his eyes giving in to sleep.

If it probably wasn't for Zack talking to him that time, Cloud hadn't been able to come out to the surface of the confusion he felt like he was drowning in.

* * *

**Note:** And there they are!! Confused? Me too! I hope you have enjoyed this chapter! I feel bad for Cloud though… Thank you so much for reading!!! And thank you for the reviews!!


	14. The Wait

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 14**: The Wait

Zack helped Cloud get to the Inn his friends were staying at. He couldn't help thinking that what they had just been through reminded him of that day all those years ago. Was it possible that some things hadn't changed? Sephiroth was on the loose with a piece of black materia in his hands. Zack wondered what Sephiroth was going to do with it but whatever it was that he had in mind, it couldn't be good. Black materia was known to possess dangerous power within, power that used with the right quantity and the wrong magic could be deadly, not just for some but for the entire planet.

He knew Sephiroth was mad in his own head but he couldn't believe how treacherous he had become. He saw evil in his eyes. Zack didn't recognize one bit of the old Sephiroth he once had met.

Zack finally laid Cloud down on the bed from that Inn. His head moved restlessly from one side to another on the pillow as he slept an agitated sleep. Inside of his head a tornado twirled furiously he could tell. Zack wished he could do more to help his friend.

He looked around the quiet room; it looked the same as before… Everything looked the same and the feeling made him shudder. For someone who had been five years away from everything things didn't seem much different. It wouldn't surprise him if he saw Angeal or Genesis walk through the door if he hadn't known better.

The black spiky-haired man sat down on a chair close to Cloud's bed and rested his forehead on his hands sighing. Life was pretty confusing at that moment. He knew he couldn't trust a word Sephiroth said though he couldn't help but wonder. He had been waiting for Cloud to show up there, what would have happened if Zack didn't interfere? Shinra had created a monster… once again. They had twisted up Sephiroth's mind with their lies he couldn't tell reality from fantasy anymore. Zack was glad he woke up in time. Or more like, he was lucky not to go down the same path as Sephiroth although Zack knew he wasn't that easily controlled.

He was no monster no matter what they told him and he was glad he had something to live for and protect. He was glad he had been given a second chance to live.

Zack's thoughts were then interrupted by the squeaking sound of a door opening and he turned his head to the side to take a look at who was coming inside the room. His eyes caught a glimpse of the dark brown long-haired girl coming in. He knew who it was; she hadn't changed much as well, apart from the cowboy hat she wore when she was their guide and showed them the town around. She looked older now of course, her face and body was no longer child-like.

"Is he ok?" Tifa whispered walking carefully across the room trying not to make any sound that could wake Cloud up.

"Yeah he will be fine. He kind of had a brain meltdown. He just needs to rest and organize his mind." Zack got up from the chair stretching his arms. "And that's why we're here right?"

"I will do my best." Tifa nodded looking down concernedly back at the blond SOLDIER who sometimes moaned some inaudible words in his sleep. "I care so much about him."

"I can see that." Zack watched as worry spread across her pale face. He wondered why Cloud never spoke about Tifa. It was clear they had something hanging there. _You silent dork._ He thought chuckling at his friend. "Hey do you know where my girl is? I mean who I came here with."

"You mean Aerith? She's outside."

"Thanks." And Zack turned to leave them.

"Hey Zack!" Tifa called and he turned around holding the door open. "Welcome back."

He smiled before walking out.

* * *

Aerith looked up and the dusky sky above. She breathed in fully just waiting there in front of the small well in the middle of Nibelheim. Suddenly but carefully darkness took over her as someone covered her eyes placing their hands on her eyes from behind.

"Are you mad at me?" His voice asked as his hands slid down from her eyes to rest on her shoulders.

"I was worried." Aerith replied softly.

"You should trust me more." Zack slowly spun her around on her feet so she could look at him.

"I do, but I almost lost you once…" Aerith sighed sadly. "I guess I got scared."

"I understand and I'm sorry. I think the thought of having Sephiroth so close got me berserk!" Zack explained. "Just imagining him doing something to you…" Zack shook his head making a painful expression with his eyes and crooking up his mouth. "I couldn't control myself."

"You do realize that you're being overprotective of me." Aerith asked smiling and lifting his head up by the chin since it had started to look down to the ground.

"I can't help it." He grinned. He looked down at her green eyes thinking that that small delicate flower girl was worth so much more than his own life that he would do whatever it took him to keep her safe. How could he not be overprotective when she looked so tiny between his muscled arms he was afraid he could break her in two if he squeezed her more tightly. "But I'm here now."

"Excuse me." Someone interrupted clearing his throat. They turned their heads around looking for the person speaking when they saw a man with long black hair who dressed in black and had a heavy crimson red cloak over his shoulders as if he was carrying it like some heavy burden he had been forced to carry. His face was serious, matured with age and experience in life. Definitely that person had had a tough past they could have guessed.

Another thing that was curious about that character was that he held his arm up and his hand was holding by the back of her neck a very upset ninja teenager with her feet off the ground and arms crossed with a grumpy face while she exhaled impatiently. "Is _this_ yours?" The dark character asked in a smooth dragging voice.

"No way!" Zack exclaimed wide-eyed and terrified remembering who that girl was and the hell she had made him go through with pointless missions. "Keep that thing away from me!"

"Hey!!!" The ninja exclaimed surprised, her face lightened up in a huge grin. "I know you!" She pointed at Zack and her feet balanced up in the air when she moved. "You are that good-for-nothing soldier guy who kept getting me good-for-nothing treasures!"

"I found her down the Shinra Mansion nosing around." The dark person informed. "She made such a mess there she woke me up from my slumber claiming she wanted my materia."

"She's not with us!" Zack shrieked and the ninja made a hurt face.

"Don't be like that." Aerith smiled at them. "I'm sure she's just an innocent girl; I don't believe she meant any harm."

"That's right! You heard the lady!" Yuffie grinned and winked at Aerith. "Put me down!"

"As you wish." The person holding her lowered his arm until her feet touched the ground and she could stand. The ninja girl shook some dust out of her arms and grinned at her new achievements: Zack and Aerith.

"We're going to have so much fun looking for treasures and stea- I mean finding new materia!" The girl excitedly jumped up and down.

"Hey, is that brat bothering you?" A huge muscled dark-skinned man asked approaching the group.

"Yes." Zack answered.

"No!" Aerith corrected bumping Zack in the arm.

"Barrett!" Yuffie grinned happily. "I was wondering if everyone had left town without me."

"Like they'd let me do that!" Barrett replied sarcastically rolling his eyes.

"I got lost for a while I have to admit but creepy guy number one here found me." She pointed behind her with her thumb at the cloaked man.

"The name is Vincent." He spoke in a low moderated voice. Very cordial for someone like Yuffie the loud-mouth, Zack thought.

"Cm' on Yuffie, we should go check on Cloud." Barrett pushed her away wondering why the others had asked him to go get her. "And stop bothering people around."

"Wait! I know him!" Yuffie struggled to get free of his tight grip pushing her arm but it was no use. Aerith giggled and Zack sighed in embarrassment.

* * *

With the introductions done, Vincent joined Zack and Aerith and later Cid when they found him again smoking a cigarette at some alley. Vincent had told them that since he had been awaken from what kind of slumber it was that he was taking, he wouldn't mind joining their group. As they waited for Cloud to get better, Zack had had enough time to think that they needed all the help they could get if his feeling toward Sephiroth was right. The man was up to no good. Vincent could come as an extra help.

Now all they had to do was waiting for Cloud to come back to his senses and regain his strength. Zack knew exactly where Sephiroth could get a large amount of black materia and he needed to tell Cloud what was on his mind. Cid told Zack that if they needed any sort of transportation for everybody he could get an airship in his hometown that could get them anywhere easily. He would take his offer because they needed to move, to act faster than Sephiroth. Zack was thankful to Cid although he would never admit it.

He looked at Aerith sitting on a wooden barrel not far from where he was standing and watched as she looked blankly into the air silently. She knew she was worried about Cloud and that she was feeling guilty she had asked him to go meet him at the reactor but something was telling Zack that wasn't the only reason her eyes seemed so sad.

From the barrel Aerith was sitting on she quietly thought Zack was getting that frown on his face he always had when something was bothering him at work. It usually meant his mind was racing trying to find solutions to his problems. She found herself wondering when would they finally get some piece. But hopefully and if things worked for her accordingly she would be able to help.

Suddenly their attention turned to the sound of the inn's door opening.

"He's awake." Tifa came out smiling in relief. Their tight hearts could beat freely again.

* * *

**Note**: Hi everyone! I'm so sorry I updated a little bit late but I've been away from the computer for a while because where I was staying the last couple of weeks there was none there! I updated as soon as I could. Thank you so much for the support seriously! See you next chapter!


	15. The Key and The Date

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 15: **The Key and The Date

_The image was foggy and the visions came in flashes._

_Sephiroth stopped walking as they approached the town's entrance to turn his head and look at him. _

"_It must be good returning to your hometown is it not?"_

"_What about your parents?" He asked._

"_My mother's name is Jenova. She died shortly after I was born and my father…" Sephiroth laughed alone. "Why am I talking about this?"_

_**_

"_They only sent two of you?" Her ruby eyes were eager to see him._

**

_He saw Sephiroth in front of Jenova, he saw him place his hand on the glass separating him from his mother. And then he saw that glass breaking with the force of his blade, its edge cracking the glass after it had impaled Sephiroth from behind. _

_**_

_He watched her unconscious on the floor and held her head carefully up hoping she could open her eyes. _

_**_

"_Cloud! Finish Sephiroth!" He looked up to see Zack yelling at him while he laid down on the stairs, hurt. Cloud put Tifa back down and got up holding his huge sword tightly between his hands before running toward Sephiroth who had appeared stumbling on top of the stairs. He jumped and their blades met heavily._

"_Don't get too confident!" Sephiroth glared at him as his sword went through his body. His feet were off the ground and pending as the sword lifted his whole body up. The pain had been excruciating and he felt his blood pouring out from his stomach area. He watched Sephiroth's disgusted eyes looking at him for being hurt by only… an infantryman. Him, Cloud Strife. Something on those eyes made his blood boil within him. He felt the cold blade of Sephiroth's long thin sword on his hands when he pulled it deeper into him. _

"_That's impossible…" He heard Sephiroth growl. It made him stronger. Who did he think he was, doubting his strength? He threw him against the wall where he hit a couple of wires which sparkled at his touch and finally he disappeared down the reactor._

_**_

"_Well done, Cloud." He heard him say. Looking at him, he saw his lips slightly smiling but there was a string of blood running down his face._

_His face… It was real…__My mentor…_

"_You're gonna live for the both of us. My dreams… they're yours now."_

Cloud opened his eyes widely.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like crap."

"Yeah, welcome back to the world of the living!" Zack grinned at his friend knowing that he was going to be alright. "Tifa said you were calling my name."

Cloud lowered his head and his hands tightly gripped the edge of the sheets covering his legs. Zack noticed how they were shaking.

"I feel so stupid." Cloud looked away hiding the tears threatening to appear in his eyes. Not tears of sadness or weakness but in fact, those were tears of rage he was holding back. He felt like exploding. Like if he got up from that bed that instant there would be no more Inn in Nibelheim because he wanted to let that anger come out of his system and that wouldn't be nice to watch. He wanted to let the rage inside him go free. He was tired of being manipulated, of being lied to.

"Everything I believed in… all lies. I see it now." Cloud said in between gritted teeth. "Sephiroth was right in one thing… This uniform I'm wearing, I don't deserve it."

"What are you talking about man?" Zack asked in disbelief. "The clothes don't make the SOLDIER! Sephiroth was wrong! It's what's inside your heart that counts. You can never forget your honor and pride, that's what makes you who you are as SOLDIER."

"That's easier said than done." Cloud looked up at his black-haired friend, his voice breaking.

"You think… I would have given you Angeal's sword if I didn't think you could do it? If I didn't know for sure you were worth having it?" Zack stared at the blond and it made him remember Angeal's devotion to that sword.

_If I use it it'll just get warn, dirty and rusty._Angeal's voice rang in his head.

Angeal had taught him to try to kill the enemy in one single slash of the sword if possible, and if it wasn't, he had to make it possible.

"You probably thought, back then, you weren't the greatest swordsman or the top of the class. But your heart believed in you. Look at what you've done to Sephiroth! Look at what those monsters made to you when we were in that god-forsaken laboratory! And you're here. I believe… no matter what happens, one has to be born a SOLDIER to actually become one. It comes from within you, not because of the circumstances."

Cloud remained silent, just listening to what he was saying and knowing that from all the people, Zack was the one he should trust. _He does have a point._ Cloud thought, but all he wanted was to shut his eyes and cover his ears to escape from the world.

"SOLDIERS are not only muscles and strength. They're mind and heart as well. At least… I was." _And Angeal as well._ Zack thought as he remembered Angeal's face that night during the Wutai mission when they crouched behind some bushes waiting to hear the signal to attack. Angeal was proud of what he did, every SOLDIER was, but he hadn't been trained to it. He still had control of his heart and could distinguish right from wrong. Of course they couldn't have imagined that night Shinra was going to be the biggest disappointment of their lives. "I almost didn't make it… But you did. You were my living legacy remember?"

"Yes…" Cloud whispered.

"Then act like it." Zack smiled and extended his hand for Cloud to take. The blond mercenary looked at it for one second before finally taking it with a strong grip and Zack pulled him out of the bed and up to his feet.

"Thank you. Again." Cloud slightly smiled thankful to that man.

"Don't mention it." Zack grinned patting him heavily on the shoulder. "It's nice to be back together again isn't it?" He smiled. "Oh right! I have a hunch on where we should head next I wanted to talk to you about."

"Where to then?" Yes, Cloud would trust his friend.

"South, to a place called the Temple of the Ancients. If it's black materia Sephiroth is after, that's the next place I'd look if I were him." Zack said seriously now, not liking one bit that Aerith had to go there with them too.

Zack couldn't help but smile when the two men reached outside where their friends had been waiting scattered around Nibelheim's round square. They could all be minding their own business or talking to each others while they waited but once they noticed the Inn's door opening their eyes faithfully turned to look at them.

It was funny how life turned around. Zack used to work solo most of his missions and he enjoyed working alone. No one to take care of, no one to interfere or distract him from doing what he had to do. It used to be just him, his mind only. Now, he stood in front of a group of trained people that were going to help him and Cloud in their last mission. At least so it was for Zack.

He realized that after this was all over he would finally stop being what he had lived to be until then. He had come to a conclusion that there was no point on continuing being something that was long gone for him. It had been good while it lasted.

After this entire Sephiroth problem would finally come to an end, so would be his career as SOLDIER. Well, not unless something would come up that could interest him. But he knew exactly what he was going to do afterwards though he kept it secret within his heart. _First things first._ He grinned watching the group of people now gathering to come meet them. Red, Barrett, Yuffie, Vincent, Cid, Tifa and Aerith…

He was so grateful to them all.

* * *

They crossed Mt. Nibel first so they could reach Cid's hometown, Rocket Town, and get his airship. It was impossible not to stare in awe at the huge creamy airship hovering in the air but tethered to the ground once they crossed the mountains and got a clear view to his hometown. It resembled a dirigible only with propellers and engines powered by mako energy.

"Damn!" Zack exclaimed excitedly as he looked up at the enormous airship.

"Say something?" Cid patted him on the shoulder while he chewed on a toothpick and grinned at the younger man.

"You're the man Cid." Zack exchanged the grin. Cid was ok after all Zack had to admit.

"Told ya so." Cid nodded and motioned for them to follow him through the town and to his home where his wife was waiting for him.

_Who would__ have thought the guy would be married._ Zack wondered in surprise.

When they were finally ready to leave Rocket Town they realized that to get into the Temple of the Ancients they needed to get the keystone to open the gate in. Last they heard about that keystone was that it was one of the prizes someone won when participating in the battle arena contest in the Gold Saucer entertainment park. That was their next destination.

Cloud looked at the Highwind, as Cid called the airship and swallowed hard. He could feel his stomach already complaining about having to fly but he wasn't going to show weakness. He glanced at Zack. He was happily grinning and jumping in one foot to another excitedly waiting to be able to get into the airship. Cloud wished he could take things that easily. He sighed nervously.

* * *

Aerith shared a room with Tifa while they stayed at the Gold Saucer hotel. It was already night when she looked at the clock on the wall since she couldn't rely on the window because on that hotel it was always night or it wouldn't be the haunted hotel they were staying at. They had spent two hours on the battle arena to get the keystone and now that they finally got it they decided they would spend the night there and leave in the morning.

She looked at her made bed, she wasn't sleepy or tired so she just sat down on a chair by the window thinking. Tifa had gone downstairs and the environment of that bedroom made her shudder.

She wondered if that hotel was supposed to make people feel comfortable, it wasn't working for her. The walls had wrecks on them and fake spider webs on the corners or at least she would like to think they were faked. The wooden floor shrieked when they walked on it and there were pumpkins with faces on the chest of drawers while the mirror had fends.

She could swear she sometimes heard people screaming in the distance. Sure it was the haunted hotel but they could have smoothed things out for the bedrooms. She sighed while standing up. _I wonder what Zack is doing._ She thought and quickly walked out of the room when she heard another one of those distant desperate girly screams.

On the red-carpeted corridor she took each step carefully and slowly as if hesitating walking in the direction of his room. Finally she stopped outside of his bedroom door and lifted her hand closing it to softly knock on the door. She heard a muffled "Come in." from the inside and so she did pushing the door open slowly.

"Hi…" She almost whispered as a tall black-haired man stood in front of her smiling.

"I was hoping it would be you." His glowing blue eyes blinked slowly as he smiled down to her. Immediately she felt her cheeks turning hot. She cursed herself for blushing easily and looked down as if to try to hide her embarrassment with no use since he noticed her blush and smiled even wider. _I still got it._ He thought as he looked at her amused at how he made her blush.

"Good." She looked up at him regaining her strength. Her gaze was determined. "I was thinking that we never got to go on that date you promised me a long time ago."

"Oh yeah…" Zack answered thoughtfully and at the same time feeling sorry for her. He did promise her that and it saddened him how long it had been since then.

"I think that since we're here, this would be the perfect opportunity. Plenty of places to have fun here." She smiled semi closing her eyes as she did.

"You're asking me out on a date?" He asked grinning confidently.

"I guess I am." Aerith replied shrugging. "Come on!" She walked behind him and placed her hands on his back pushing him out of the bedroom.

"Where should we go first?" They came to a halt at the room that led to all the attractions of the Gold Saucer.

"The gondola ride sounds nice." Zack read the flashing letters on top of one tube they had to slide down to get there. Aerith nodded and went first down the tube followed seconds later by Zack once he made sure it was safe for him to go down without falling on top of her once he reached the ground.

"Two tickets please." He heard Aerith ask the young lady on the ticket cabin.

"Today is your lucky day!" The young lady greeted cheerfully. "You're our 100th customers of the day so the tickets are free!"

"Oh… Thank you!" Aerith smiled and looked back at Zack making sure he had listened.

They both sat across from each other once inside the wooden gondola shaped like a little house. They felt it start moving under their feet and soon enough they watched from the window the colourful lights of the park shining under them as the gondola lifted up in the air with its top being held by the rails above them. Zack watched the flower girl's eyes wide open in wonder looking around at the thousands of colourful balloons that lifted up into the air as the gondola went even higher.

"It's so beautiful!" Aerith exclaimed amazed. Everything was so colourful she thought she was dreaming. He watched her giggle when they saw the chocobos running fast right next to them when they passed near the race track.

"Aerith…" He called her at some point and she turned her attention to him. "I'm glad that you had the idea to go out tonight."

"Well actually, I wanted to tell you that… that I've really missed you the time you were gone." She smiled nervously. "I want to be with you, Zack."

Suddenly the dark sky of the night filled with colourful bursts of glittering lights exploding into thousands of little sparkles. The red and yellow colours of the fireworks reflected on her skin and hair and Zack looked at her bewildered.

"I'm not going anywhere now." Zack grabbed her hand. "I will never leave you again, I promise. Now you'll get the chance to be with me forever and spend all the time you want with me."

"Zack I-"

"Aerith…" He interrupted her trying to find the exact words he wanted to say. "What I mean is... I want to be yours. Forever."

That took her by surprise. She widened her eyes as her heart started hammering against her chest and her throat felt like she was suffocating. She was grateful the flashing lights of the fireworks dissembled her flushed cheeks. He leaned forward and she followed until their noses brushed slightly against each others. He tilted his head to the side and moved his head slowly forward. They were so close he noticed how her lips softly parted waiting for his. Taking it as a sort of approval from her, he leaned in and their lips finally met.

Somehow he always knew what it would feel like kissing her but now that he was finally tasting her lips he felt like he should have done it the very first time she opened her eyes when he came back after so long. His blood boiled rapidly and hot inside of his veins and his skin felt tingling like he was being given soft electrical shocks. His hand held the back of her head carefully holding her to him and tangling his fingers in her light brown hair while the other one was holding her arm.

Unexpectedly they felt the gondola come to a halt causing them to jump and part from the kiss and grab on to their seats so they didn't fall to the gondola's floor. Startled by the abrupt stop they looked at each other smiling as they put themselves together before they got up to leave.

They both wished that gondola ride could have lasted forever because the moment they stepped out of it they were back to reality and reality didn't look so pretty right now. That gondola ride seemed like a world apart, a dreamy world where everything was perfect and no worries were allowed in. Now that that kiss had happened Aerith wanted that feeling to last. Her lips still had his warmth and her hair smelled like him.

"I guess this means… that you're my girlfriend." Zack smiled scratching the back of his head nervously.

"You think?" Aerith giggled. Zack placed his arm around her shoulders to leave.

As they walked back to the hotel they were startled by Cloud's voice shouting something they couldn't understand right and there was a lot of movement outside the haunted hotel's doors. Tifa and Yuffie stood next to Cloud as they all confronted some cat-like creature riding on the back of a huge moogle.

"You will pay for this!" They heard Tifa growling and saw her coming to attack position with her hands turning into tight fists in front of her face. Cloud lifted one arm up in front of her to hold her back.

"Let's not rush." Cloud spoke smoothly.

"What's going on here?" Zack held Aerith's hand tightly and ran to join the group.

"He stole us the keystone we had to enter the Temple when we weren't looking! He tricked us into telling us the future the sneaky devil to steal it from us!" Yuffie pointed at the cat whose name they had heard was Cait Sith. "And threw it to the Turks who just flew by us in a helicopter!"

"He's a filthy spy that's what he is." Tifa glared at the cat.

"Please don't hurt me, I'm just a robot programmed to obey orders. I do what they make me do." Cait Sith begged lowering down his head ashamed. "They tell me I don't have a mind of my own."

"Following orders or not, you're going to help us get that keystone back." Zack said.

"They are going to the temple right now." Cait Sith kept his head down.

"Then we'll follow." Cloud turned to Yuffie. "Go call the others please; we'll wait here for them." The ninja nodded and disappeared into the haunted hotel.

"You're Zack aren't you?" Cait Sith asked peeking up at Zack behind the moogle's ears.

"How do you know that?" The black-haired man frowned.

"I was meant to deliver you some information if I found you." The cat replied.

"About what?"

"A girl named Cissnei." The cat answered looking away. The news couldn't be good.

"What about her?" Zack took one step forward to the cat figure. "Tell me."

"She..." Cait Sith shook his head looking down. "I'm sorry. She didn't make it."

"What…? What are you saying?" Zack's eyes widened and his body stiffened. Cloud looked from Zack to Cait Sith confused. "That can't be true! You're lying!" Zack gritted his teeth as he held Cait Sith in the air by the neck and backed him against the wall. His hands were shaking when he tightened the cat's neck and his eyes felt teary.

"There was an attack in the Shinra building… some time ago." The cat gasped trying to speak. "Sephiroth killed the president… Cissnei tried her best to protect him."

"Zack…" He heard Aerith worriedly call him. By the corner of his eyes he saw her lift her hands to cover her mouth as she watched him hurt the cat.

"My sister…" Zack sobbed letting go of Cait Sith who coughed once on the ground, his hands dropped along side of his body but his hands closed into two tight fists. "He'll pay me…" Zack mumbled furiously.

"Sephiroth will pay me!" He shouted while he punched the brick wall of the hotel making a hole in its surface with his strength.

* * *

**Note**: Oh no! I killed Cissnei… Well we never hear from her in FF7 and I thought there had to be a reason… This one was a longer chapter because I originally programmed this story to last about 20 chapters. Well, we will see how it goes. Oh! And there's the reason I've been delaying Aerith and Zack's kiss! I wanted it to be during the Gold Saucer date! I thought it made more sense… Thank you so much to everyone reading and thank you for the reviews you sent me!!


	16. The Temple

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 16: **The Temple

Aerith's heart pounded strongly against her chest as she approached the huge pyramidal structure of the Temple of the Ancients. The temple had been built with the hands of her ancestors and it emanated some kind of soothing and comforting energy toward her. But there was something about that energy that was making her uneasy. She could tell it hid something inside those walls, something mysterious.

"The gate is open." Cloud pointed ahead at the rocky door of the temple's entrance which was burst open.

"What are we waiting for then?" Zack walked past the group heading into the temple. Aerith watched as his hands were turned into two tight fists and his eyes frowned as he walked inside. He was revolted and angry she realized and bit her lip before running after him followed seconds later by the rest of the group.

"What the f—" Cid started.

"What a creepy maze!" Yuffie exclaimed as they all looked around the place they had walked into. Thousands of creamy staircases filled with green and dry roots stood mixed together in a confusing labyrinth of steps. Some stairs led up to another set of stairs leading down to different paths. Some of the stairs led to dead ends while others led them into caverns while others went under bridges no one could see how to reach. Down the first set of stairs they were on Zack noticed someone was badly injured moaning on the floor and placing one hand on a serious stomach injury to hold the blood in.

"Is that Tseng?" He called straining his vision to recognize who it was.

"Arrgh." Tseng moaned as he laid down on the ground, his breathing was heavy. "Zack." He cried as the spiky black-haired man approached him and tried to sit up leaning his elbow on the ground.

"What happened?" Zack asked crouching down beside Tseng. Cloud joined them followed by Aerith who gasped as she watched his state.

"Sephiroth is here. He attacked me to get the keystone and I followed him but I needed to rest." Tseng looked down at his injury and shook his head.

"I can help you..." Aerith said.

"No. Leave it. I already asked for someone to come get me." Tseng lifted one opened hand to stop her from coming close.

"It's good he is here." Zack looked away gritting his teeth, his fists shaking. "Were you there?"

"So… you know." Tseng avoided looking at Zack, knowing what he was asking about. Zack nodded once.

* * *

The vicious creatures that were shaped like a dog trotted at them letting out piercing howls as they attacked. But there was nothing of dog in them at the same time. Purple fur, red eyes and their torsos had the spine lumps tightly crafted on their backs almost ripping through their skin. Their mouths opened and revealed two lines of sharpened wet green teeth as they growled at them. Tseng shot them with several bullets before the hell creatures finally gave in.

"These came from those damn pods they keep in the labs didn't they?" They heard Shinra infantrymen ask as they passed by them running.

The sound of shot guns bombed through their ears from all around the different floors as they ran through the corridors of the Shinra building. Their guns tightly gripped between both their hands, their arms stretched down. They hid behind one corner peeking to see if the corridor was clear so they could run for it. There was a track of blood on the floor and there were more than many Shinra soldiers laying down dead.

Cissnei looked around at the death path in shock. Her eyes watered and she let out a sob watching the lifeless bodies scattered all around their feet bleeding.

"Are you ok?" Tseng asked her, leaning against the wall next to her.

"Y-Yes." She stammered but didn't look at him. She quickly wiped away the tears from her eyes with her sleeve and managed to slightly smile at him, reassuring Tseng they could continue.

_"He's reached the President's room! All forces come now! Protect the President at all cost!"_ They heard the communicator on Tseng's belt shouting.

"Come on!" He called to Cissnei and they both ran as fast as they could stumbling on the corpses of the dead men as they did.

"This is it." Tseng paused at the entrance of the president's office to careful examine their situation. "Ready?" He turned at Cissnei, both stood at each side of the door. She nodded, her lips pressed together.

They slammed the door open to find Sephiroth in front of the Shinra president, his masamune pointed at the large man on the chair. There was a pile of bodies on the office's floor.

"Drop it." Tseng ordered Sephiroth. His eyes narrowed, his heart beat fast but his hands didn't shake. Both Tseng and Cissnei walked slowly and carefully to the side toward where the president sat behind his desk. They noticed his forehead was sweating and he had his teeth showing as he growled at Sephirtoh.

Sephiroth smirked watching the two getting near the man on the chair.

"Pitiful." He hissed and jumped elevating himself off the ground and reaching for the president, his long sword going straight in the direction of the president's heart. But what its edge impaled wasn't the fat chest of the man but the slim chest of a young woman. Tseng watched her golden brown eyes pop open, her expression was of shock and pain. She screamed and dropped to her knees and finally to the side, her hands filling with her blood as she covered her chest.

"Pathetic." Sephiroth looked at the girl by the corner of his eyes before striking again lifting his sword with both hands above his head and down impaling the president fully in the stomach. Leaving his sword where it had crossed the president in and out Sephiroth flew through the balcony and away. The president slowly bent down forward until his forehead hit the edge of his desk and stayed there.

It all happened so fast Tseng didn't have time to react. A couple of seconds passed by before he could process what had just happened. He quickly reached for Cissnei who was moaning painfully on the floor. Tseng lifted her head and helped her rest her back on his knee.

"Cissnei…" His eyes blurred with tears.

"Tseng… please tell him… tell Zack…" Cissnei coughed and blood ran in a string down her mouth. Tears streamed down her eyes. "I lived my honour." He saw her lips lightly curved into a tiny smile. She peacefully closed her eyes, her head tilted slightly to the side.

* * *

"She was one of the best people I ever met." Tseng closed his eyes remembering. "It certainly was a privilege to have worked as her partner."

"I wish she could have said the same thing to you." Zack's voice broke and his hands shook vibrantly. "From where I stand you did nothing to save her, nothing to help her!" Zack shouted and grabbed Tseng by his collar neck lifting him up a few inches.

"She acted on instinct." Tseng understood his pain, he felt the same way. Even if he was her brother, Tseng had been the one who knew her from the beginning. "I couldn't have guessed she would do such a thing. I should have never… taken her there. I should have given her orders to go to another floor—"

"Don't strain yourself now." Zack cut him off dropping him down again. "Sephiroth will pay for what he did. He'll pay for everything."

"I'm sorry…" Tseng whispered looking down.

"He's here right?" Zack asked to no one in particularly. "Let's go then, it's show time."

"What about him?" Cloud asked his hand slanted and pointed towards Tseng.

"Just leave him." Zack turned his back to walk away.

"Wait!" Tifa called from the stairs. "We should split up into two groups. Obviously this place is much two complicated for us to keep together, so, the first one who reaches the black materia…"

"I see your point." Cloud said. "I'll go with Tifa, Barret, Yuffie and Red. Zack, you could go with Aerith, Cid, Vincent and that spy Caith Sith you agree?"

"Sure." Zack replied, his head slightly turned back at them.

Both groups took different paths from the many stairs around them. Sometimes they'd bump into each others not knowing exactly how that had been possible but they kept going up and going down stairs, crossing bridges and walking into doors leading to some place they were sure they had already been through.

The labyrinth turned out to be more complicated than what they had imagined once they entered a cavern aside from the stairs labyrinth which led them to an empty room that had a wooden clock on the wall. After finally placing the correct hour on the clock it opened to them a door between the stony walls of the temple. They went through it to find another room where six different doors stood. They had tried every single one of them before both groups joined together when there was only one door missing to be entered.

Aerith sighed leaning her hand against one wall.

"Everything alright?" Zack asked her noticing her breathing had changed.

"Yes… This is just a bit overwhelming." She said looking around. "This is the closest I ever got to my ancestors."

"Hey…" He brushed her arm with his hand. "You're not alone."

Suddenly, Zack got a glimpse of someone's grey shadow going into a path made of rock he could swear it hadn't been there before. He took Aerith's hand and called the others to follow. They ran behind Zack and entered another room where the shadowy figure stood in front of a small column which had a triangle-shaped object on top of it. The energy coming from that room was stronger in Aerith's heart. The figure turned around at them and it was Sephiroth they were facing. Only, they could see through his body.

Zack held his sword up in his hands and ran toward him. He held his sword up high and made it go through Sephiroth's body in one slash. The sword went through and out Sephiroth's body like a ghost through a wall.

"Like I thought." Zack grunted. "You're too much of a coward to be here flesh and bone."

"Impressive." Sephiroth laughed pleasantly, his arms lifted as he did.

"Quit the psycho laugh we have business to take care of." Zack said and noticed as Aerith took one step forward in his direction but he stretched his arm to the side to prevent her from walking further. "Where are you?"

"But I'm right here." Sephiroth said and his voice echoed through several different spots on the walls.

"I mean the real you. Not your deplorable photocopies." Zack looked disgustedly at the ghost in front of him.

"You think I'd be stupid enough to risk taking the black materia myself?" The ghostly form of Sephiroth asked. "I'm disappointed at you, first class SOLDIER Zack Fair. You should have been better informed."

"What do you mean?"

"You see, when the Ancients like your little girlfriend over there…" He pointed at Aerith and it made Zack's blood boil feverishly inside him, he shuddered. "Built this temple they knew that no matter how tricky and complex they made it for people to get the black materia it could always be reachable. Let me tell you the true intentions of the Cetra. This whole temple, the whole construction_ is_ the black materia. The only way to retrieve the black materia is to shrink the temple and take it. And the way to shrink the temple into its true form is to take in your hands, from the inside, this miniature pyramid that you see… well, right through me." He laughed. "But as you might have correctly guessed, one who takes the miniature temple in his hands shrinks down with the whole structure and dies with it. It takes sacrifice."

"Why do you want the black materia for then?" Cloud asked coming to stand next to Zack.

"Isn't it obvious already?" Sephiroth's see-through clone turned his head to look at the blond. "I intend to summon Meteor to conquer the Planet and revive the Weapons. The Planet will then be under my command.

"You will never do that!" Aerith shouted from behind them. "I won't allow it!" Her lips trembled and her eyes watered as she thought about the Planet dying.

"Well well well…" Sephiroth's light green eyes even though faintly stared down intently at the brunette. "And what does one single Cetra, the only one left in the Planet intends to do to stop me?" He smirked at her.

"Unless you stay here for the rest of your lives to protect the black materia even though I could still reach it, one of you will have to be left behind to take it and keep it away from me isn't that correct?" Sephiroth continued. "Since I enjoy games, I'm going to leave you to decide who is going to be that person." And as cleanly as he had appeared, Sephiroth's form disappeared into thin air.

"I'll do it." They all turned their heads to look at the mechanical cat that was proudly standing up on the moogle's head.

"We'll figure something out, it doesn't have to be like that." Aerith shook her head.

"I disappointed you all. And from what I've seen and heard you didn't deserve what I've done. I'm just a robot meant to follow orders. I'm worth nothing because I can be created again. My life doesn't compare to your lives' worth. Therefore, let me retrieve the black materia. You'll be able to get it then." Caith Sith said.

"Caith Sith…" Aerith whispered. "You just proved to be trustworthy. Don't do it please. There has to be another way."

"There isn't… That's the only way and I'm the only one capable of doing it. No one flesh and bone is going to die." Caith Sith approached the small column. "Now go." But no one moved. "GO!" The cat shouted.

"Thank you for caring..." Caith Sith whispered as she watched the last one of them abandon the room. "I'm doing my part to help you." He waited for a couple of minutes to make sure they could be safely distanced and turned to the small pyramid in front of him. The cat smiled and his canines poked out and seized on his lips. Steadily his paws grabbed the triangular object and lifted it from its rest. "My existence had a meaning."

From the outside, the ground rumbled under their feet and they grabbed onto the trees as the earth quaked. Zack placed his hands on Aerith's shoulders to hold her to him and keep her from falling. They all watched in silence and sadness as the massive pyramidal construction trembled and started going down, its size diminishing little by little. Aerith thought about Caith Sith and closed her eyes. He didn't deserve that as well.

When the ground stopped shaking, she opened her eyes and what was once a glorious temple made of stone her ancestors had built was now a huge squared-hole on the ground.

"Stay here, I'll go get it." Cloud volunteered and ran away to slide down the hole to its centre where the black materia glittered by the sunlight. He took the onyx-coloured heavy rock in his hands wondering what could be so special about it when suddenly his head punctured with pain. His eyes saw a flashing white color and he strained to see the tall figure of Sephiroth in front of him. Against his will, his arm stretched to the front handing the black materia to Sephiroth. He ached to stop his arm and felt it shake with strength to stop himself from doing what he was doing. There was no sound for a moment; he could only hear his heart thumping against his chest.

"NO!" Cloud shouted as he watched himself giving the black materia straight to Sephiroth's hand.

"Now this is the real me." Sephiroth smirked whispering in Cloud's ear as he held the black materia and flew away into the sky. Cloud dropped to his knees and hands panting.

"Cloud!" He heard Tifa yelling as she reached for the blond man. The headache was gone and he realized he could control his movements again. "We saw him… But there was a barrier preventing us to come near you."

"He was controlling me…" Cloud gasped. "I could feel him in my head, telling me to give him the black materia. And I couldn't control my body… He possessed me."

"He was planning this from the beginning." Zack helped Cloud getting out of the temple's crater by placing Cloud's arm around his neck and supporting most of his weight to walk. "Don't worry, we'll get him." He looked at the sky in the direction he had seen Sephirtoh go. _If it's the last thing I do._

* * *

**Note:** In the game Caith Sith reappeared after he had shrunk the temple but here he was just gone! I'm sorry about him! And Cissnei! Well, thank you so much yet again for the support! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! We're getting closer to the big end!


	17. The Goodbye Dream

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 17: **The Goodbye Dream

He watched her sleep on her side; her back was turned to him. He smirked thinking they shouldn't be sleeping in single separated beds but close together in one cosy bed for two. He felt her breathing uneven but guessed she was probably dreaming. About him, he hoped. Zack stared at the ceiling and sighed.

The room was quiet and dark, only the small light coming from outside illuminated her body. There was a gentle breeze coming through a breach of the slightly opened window.

They were staying at the Inn from Gongaga but he wouldn't dare visit his parents. He didn't have the courage. Not after what had happened to his sister. He didn't know what he could possibly tell them. After all, he had failed to keep her safe. He should have never left her alone and unprotected. It had been clear to him he couldn't trust anyone but himself to protect the ones he loved. There was this feeling of guilt inside his chest that he should have been more present in Cissnei's life. Maybe he would have been able to protect her if she had just followed him in the first place. She would definetly be there with them... Even if she had told him her place was with the Turks, he should have insisted. Oh but he would get his vengeance in time. _As her brother i will... I will avenge her death._

He had only agreed to spend the night there if it was just to rest a couple of hours and leave before the sun could come up fully in the sky. That way he wouldn't risk being seen by anyone who knew him from around. But before he could become aware of it and completely lost in his thoughts, his eyes felt heavy and he fell asleep quietly in the night.

With the back of her hand Aerith cleaned the trace of tears from her eyes and turned around on her bed to see if he was asleep. She carefully got up trying not to make any sound that could wake him up and rose to her feet. She watched him soundlessly asleep on his back. His face was so peaceful turned to the sky, so beautiful she almost gave up on everything and returned to her bed to wake up by his side in the early morning. Motivation for that didn't lack. But she couldn't.

She stopped next to his bed and leaned down to softly kiss his forehead. She caressed his black hair and kneeled on the floor beside him for a moment, her eyes wide open and absorbing every trace of him. She didn't want to miss a single detail of his perfect figure.

"Yes my muscles are real Aerith." He mumbled in his sleep and she had to cover her mouth to hold her giggle in. She shook her head. _Oh Zack, you will never change will you? Not even when you sleep. _She thought and smiled while running her fingers warily through his hair.

"I'm sorry… But I have to do this." She whispered and stood up. Not bearing to look at him one more time, she rushed smoothly out of the bedroom, closing the door slowly behind her. _If I stay here with you one more minute, I won't be strong enough to leave._

She climbed down the stairs hurriedly and when she reached the outside it was still night time. The air of the small village was cold but pleasant and the streets were dead silent. She gave one step forward and realized how her heart was aching in pain. Her feet felt heavy as she moved, dragging her.

"Hey." She heard a voice and jumped around startled. Blue eyes and spiky blond hair appeared in front of her. "Cloud…"

"What are you doing here? You should be sleeping." He said raising one eyebrow, suspiciously.

"Yeah about that…" She started saying and her foot scratched nervously on the ground. "I couldn't sleep so I decided to come take a walk. Won't you go to bed too?"

"Same thing happened to me, but I was just going in." He said not trusting her words at all. She already seemed uneasy when he saw her outside but she turned more uncomfortable when he spoke to her. That was the first sign of someone not wanting to be caught. "I can wait for you here. You shouldn't be out alone."

"No, it's ok!" She bit her lower lip. "I won't go far and I won't be long. Trust me!" Aerith smiled reassuringly. She hated lying and was no good at it but it was for a good cause. She had a mission to fulfill although she knew Cloud had already figured out she wasn't coming back.

"Aerith if there's something wrong… I can help you." Cloud looked at her and he didn't rest. She looked like she was up to something and she didn't want anyone to know. He knew Zack wouldn't forgive him if he let anything happen to Aerith. He owed Zack too much.

"I… It's nothing…" Aerith stared into his eyes pleadingly and he knew what she meant. He could read it in her eyes. If there was something she had to do, she had to do it alone and she couldn't be stopped. "The planet… needs me."

"I understand." He nodded, not wanting to.

"Thank you." She exhaled and realized she had been holding her breath nervously.

"Zack will go berserk." Cloud informed shaking his head.

"I know…" She looked down thoughtfully. "I have arranged one way to tell him." _He would never let me go if I told him in person._

"Wherever you're going… Just be careful." And he really was praying for her safety.

"Cloud… Goodbye." She smiled thankful to him and her eyes watered again when she turned around on her feet to leave. Cloud watched her run away from there and already he regretted letting her go. Yes, that night he wouldn't sleep at all.

* * *

"_Hey Zack?"_

_There was a glittering white all around him when he opened his eyes at her calling, her silhouette contrasted with the bright color. Next to him she stood, her face turned ahead. Light-brown braided hair waved gently down her back while her emerald green eyes stared blankly at the distance. _

_"Humm?" He kept looking at her._

_"Do you remember those afternoons we spent selling flowers in the slums?" Her pink soft lips smiled and she locked her hands behind her back._

_"How could I forget?" He grinned. He remembered the little crooked wooden wagon he had built for her and couldn't help but laugh about it. Although it was poorly shaped at first it served them well in the end. _

_"I look back at those times and think about how perfect everything was. I think… those were the happiest days I ever had." Her voice was shaky. And there was this… sad look in her eyes although it was happy memories she was talking about. Was she meaning to tell him something, he wondered._

_"What about travelling with me?" He asked raising one eyebrow and pointing with his thumb at his face. "I think that was pretty fun too!" _

_"Yes." She giggled turning to look at him. But the smile faded gradually. "What I mean is… Back then, I had no worries."_

_"And now you do?" He asked confused._

_"There's something I have to do… Zack." Her green eyes glittered with tears as she looked down and slowly the bright white color around them started shaping something. It looked like trees were faintly appearing in the background. The floor under their feet turned a dirty brown and it seemed they were standing in the middle of some straight path shaped between the trees. _

_"What__ do you mean?" He looked around, his eyes focusing on the tree shapes and then back at her. Her voice was distant. Their eyes met and their gazes locked in one another. _

_"I want you to know that I'll wait for you no matter what happens and wherever I go." There was hesitation in her eyes like she was hiding the whole truth from him but wanted to tell him everything at the same time. "I'll be waiting for you."_

_"Where are you going? I'll go with you. We're a team remember? Back when we were selling flowers we were already a team!" His heart started racing. _

_She smiled at him and her eyes were watery. She started walking away step by step, going ahead into the path. He followed her and grabbed her wrist but it slipped right between his hands. He pushed forward again, his arm stretched in her direction but no matter how hard he tried to walk, to run, he wasn't moving, he couldn't move from where he was. Some kind of sick strength was keeping him from going after her. He called her, yelled her name out loud but he only saw her silhouette now disappearing in the distance where the path turned thick between the trees and she could no longer be seen. She didn't look back, she didn't come back. _

_And suddenly he was left alone. _

"_I love you." He heard her whisper very distantly. "Goodbye."_

* * *

"AERITH!" He shouted desperately when he opened his eyes and realized he was sitting up on his bed still in the Inn. Panting, he looked outside and there was already the early morning light coming from the window. He raised his hand to his forehead and noticed he was sweating.

_Aerith…_ Was his first thought.

He slowly turned his head to look at the bed next to his and his eyes widened in shock as the bed was empty. She wasn't there.

_No…_

He quickly jumped out of the bed and reached for the door. Coming down the stairs in a blink of an eye he met with the others already gathered in the lobby.

"Hey you sleepy head!" Yuffie cheerfully greeted. "We tried to wake you up before but no one could!"

"Where is she?" He ran his eyes through every single face in the room and couldn't find her glowing green ones anywhere.

"No one has seen Aerith." Tifa bit her lip as she spoke when no one dared to.

"Zack…" Cloud walked into the room and toward his black-haired friend. "I think I know where she went."

* * *

**Note: **Thank you for reading and thank you for reviewing! I hope you have enjoyed this chapter! Also, I wanted to say that **oodball167 **is translating my Zack's Final Mission into Spanish and I couldn't be happier! I'm very thankful to him to have chosen my story for that! It's really good to know our work is appreciated! So if you're interested go check it out! Thank you so much!


	18. Cloud: Teamwork Honor

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 18: **Cloud: Teamwork Honor

I expected Zack to back me against a wall holding me by the neck and threateningly saying I should have stopped her while I could… but he didn't. Instead, his body froze and he looked at me sadly.

"I should have seen the signs…" He said thoughtfully. "She sometimes stared blankly at the distance… became quiet. Deep down she knew this had to happen. I just wished she had told me. Or I should have understood..."

"She knew what you'd do if she told you." I said. Whatever this girl did to him, she marked him good. I could almost hear his heart shattering.

"What are we waiting for then?" He turned to me wide-eyed, a smirk on his lips. "Let's go find her! I have something I want to ask her!"

I watch him now with a shovel in his hands unstoppably digging the soil to find that Lunar Harp item buried somewhere around here. He sometimes pauses to clean the sweat of his forehead but he keeps making holes on the ground just to find it. The small item that will lead him back to her and all we need to go through the forest to the Forgotten City where she must be trying to speak to the planet. It has almost been a full day and he doesn't get tired of digging.

"What exactly is Zack?" Vincent asked me, his eyes on him as well. He must have noticed Zack hadn't stopped to rest or to drink and eat. Vincent too had been a victim in the hands of Shinra. More than anyone else here he was aware of the unsuccessful experiences that company hid. And he was conscious of course of what Shinra could create. But with us what had happened was different.

"A hero." I answered him in my most honest response.

Vincent nodded agreeing with me probably just making sure he had guessed it right. When Zack finally found the Lunar Harp and held it in his hand he smiled triumphantly. I think I'm starting to understand the reason why he didn't get mad at me when I told him about Aerith… Although he had neglected the signs she had unconsciously sent him, he knew just like I knew, that Aerith was meant to do what she had left us to do. But he would never let Sephiroth near her and he would protect her from that at all cost.

Zack knew that she was alone… vulnerable, but he also knew Sephiroth wouldn't touch a string of her hair unless Zack was present, just to have the joy of seeing his face once he did. Both of us are connected to that one winged angel in such a way we can most certainly get right what crosses his sick mind.

What was making me nervous though was thinking about what Zack could do to protect Aerith. Would he die for her safety? I know I would… for Tifa. It wouldn't matter what happened to me as long as I could keep her safe. Zack and I aren't that much different. After all, half of what I am I had learnt with him.

I watch Tifa stick the tip of her shovel on the ground and walk toward Zack to pat him on the shoulder happy for him to have found the shiny golden harp. She turns around to smile at me while Yuffie joins them to yell something at Zack about finally finding something important even if it's not materia.

Time to move…

"Aerith is waiting!" Zack grinned. I could see it even from where I stand; his eyes are full of hope. But deep down and although he's smiling there's something boiling inside him waiting to be freed; a thirst of vengeance for his sister just like mine for what he has done to my town and my family. And to Tifa. I will never forget. If something happens to Aerith to add to the mix… Zack will lose everything.

But I won't allow it. He has already lost too much.

Sephiroth you dark devil… I won't let you destroy my friends; I won't let you ruin this world. When I look at their faces I see hope and I will do anything to protect this world… for them. To me that's good enough reason to fight you.

We cross the sleeping forest now allowing us to go through and finally enter the Forgotten City. There's a peculiar scent in the air, it smells like the salty water of the Ocean and everything is dead quite. Although the structure of the city was built around the walls of a castle with two huge towers, the theme of this ruined city must have been the sea since the walls of the houses here are made with conch shells. There are even buildings made of some sort of crystal. The houses look like shells themselves and the floor is a glittering bluish mineral stone.

"Cloud…" I hear Tifa call me. She seems nervous and avoids looking straight at me. "There's something about this place I don't trust."

"I know." I tell her. "I feel it too."

"This place was once the capital of the Cetra civilization… When Jenova wiped out almost the entire population of this city, the ones who survived left it to try to blend in with the human culture. It has been abandoned ever since." Vincent informed us as he walked by. I had no idea he was so familiar with the story of the Cetra.

"We need to find Aerith soon…" Tifa says clearly feeling sorry for Aerith. "She must feel lonely here." It has always surprised me how pure her heart is.

I look over at Zack, alone staring around at the city.

"Don't worry." I try to calm him down. "We'll find her here."

"I won't lose her Cloud." He says, his anxiety couldn't hold on for much longer. "Not her. He won't take her away from me."

"We won't let that happen." I try to reassure him. He tilts his head. "Maybe we should rest for the night."

"Yeah… Of course." He agreed too quickly. He's preparing for something of that I'm sure. What could it be?

* * *

When I woke up from a restless sleep in the middle of the night Zack was nowhere to be seen. Just as I thought, he was planning on something all along. I get up and walk out of the house. As I walked looking around for him I hear a loud blast in the distance.

Zack…

I run as fast as I can toward the end of the platform and jump to the next one onto the second floor of this coral ground. At the end of this strange road I get a glimpse of Zack… What is he fighting with? As I get closer to Zack I get a better view of this creature. He was fighting a silver scaled-skin huge dragon with thick limbs which had four digits that between each one of them opened a thin membrane, maybe meant for swimming. Each digit ended with a short curved claw.

A row of bony long knobs run from the base of its skull to the end of its thick tail where it breaks in two. Two transparent ragged wings burst out of its shoulders which were filled with stuck greyish barnacles. It howls in pain and fury loudly piercing my ears as Zack runs the blade of his sword through its neck making a long dark blue cut from where it sprays its smouldering blood.

What Zack doesn't notice is the dragon's long tail flying heavily in his direction. I dart toward Zack and break the tail's impact with the buster sword right behind him. As we're back to back I look slightly at Zack and he smirks at me nodding once. We jump on our feet at the same time, swords held up high. I dodge two more tail attacks zig zagging under it and jump once again to land on its torso. Running down its spine I see the tail held up high.

In one circling movement the buster sword's blade cuts it through and through separating it from the rest of the body. I glance at Zack and see him impale his sword through the dragon's mouth. Its silver tip comes out from the back of the creature's head. The dragon's eyes turn blank and it finally falls heavily on its stomach dead, blood sizzling under him.

"Great teamwork." Zack lays one foot on the dragon's neck to push it and help him take the sword back from its throat.

"Zack what are you doing here all alone?" I ask him placing the buster sword on my back.

"I saw her, Cloud." He answered and it only got me more confused. "Aerith… Well, not Aerith, but sort of like her ghost. She was leading me the way! I know she'll take me there."

"Zack… that ghost… It only took you to a trap." He could be so naïve at times. "It could be him playing with your mind…"

"It was her." He seemed serious, desperate to see her I could tell. That way, he could fall for almost everything. "Anyway, you should go back."

"What? What about you?" I frowned.

"I'm going to find her." He said.

"I'll go with you."

"Are you sure? Cloud—"

"I'll go." It will be better this way, the others won't be involved.

"_Zack…" _We heard a voice whispering his name in the distance. Zack immediately started running in the sound's direction and I had to struggle to follow him. How could he be sure it was her? More and more all of this sounded suspicious but Zack was blind trying to find her at any cost.

As we ran through one dark corridor of this aquatic maze suddenly the floor softened under our feet and I heard a splashing when our boots flooded with cold water. The further we went the deeper the waters became until it stopped by our waists. The walls narrowed as we walked further turning into a dark tunnel from where we couldn't see its ending.

"You sure you don't want to turn back?" I asked him uneasy about what could be under us.

"It's just a little bit of water Cloud." He said but I'm pretty much sure he regretted having said that when we felt something brushing against our legs. He jumped back and drew his sword looking down to see what it was. There was a blue bright light coming from the water until the lights turned into two giant fishes with huge sharpened intimidating teeth. We could see through their skin into their spines and their veins flashed in blue and red lights.

They blocked our way as one appeared in front of Zack and another one in front of me hovering. Once again Zack and I were back to back in that tight dark tunnel. The fish in front of me dashed in my direction but turned around as it got too close and when it turned I wasn't expecting its tail too be that long. It rubbed against my bare arm and the venom running through that thin casing was excruciating. I screamed and my eyes went blind with pain.

"Cloud!" I heard Zack call me.

"Its tail!" I warned him. "It's venomous!" When I opened my eyes again, my arm was still burning but the flashing colors of the toxic fishes were nowhere to be seen. "Where did they go?" I gritted my teeth angry at being so careless.

"I finished them off." He said simply. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah…" I lied. Well, I'd live. There was nothing to worry about. We kept going and fortunately the tunnel that seemed infinite had an exit after all. The water was now under our ankles and the tunnel led us into some sort of clearing where a pool had in its middle a huge creamy whelk-shaped structure. We stood in the circling passage way leading to its inside, just staring at it. As we got closer to the gigantic structure I noticed that inside of it a spinning staircase made of light led the way down.

"Hey Cloud." He called me before we went in. "Thanks."

"What I did was nothing compared to what you've done." I nodded. There was absolutely no need for him to thank me. "Do you think… I would have made a good SOLDIER?" The question had been tormenting me for a while now. I needed to know what he thought... I remember how devastated I felt when I wasn't chosen... ashamed. I had promised Tifa I would be one of the best when I left town and I failed. Now it doesn't matter because I wouldn't want to work for Shinra again... But it would ease my heart, his opinion mattered.

"One of the best!" He said cheerfully giving me a thumbs up. I could tell he really meant it and his choice of words made me petrify.

"After the attack... when I saw you almost dying…" I started saying finally snapping out of my daze. "Part of me died with you, I believed I could continue what you had started." If I only knew he wouldn't die… Things would have been different. "I'm sorry I left you there."

"I told you to leave me didn't I?" He stared at me. "In a way I was dead. To everyone I was. When I think about it now, I kind of want it to remain like that. I became all I wanted to become back then; now there is no reason for me to continue living on a dream I once had. Now my dreams are different. When we get out of here, I'm going to find a nice quiet place I can live for the rest of my life. It was good while it lasted and I had a lot of fun as a SOLDIER but now it just doesn't make sense…"

His eyes… they flickered as he talked so passionately about his days as a member of SOLDIER… But he's right… It's sad but things aren't like they used to be anymore. I'm just glad we opened our eyes before it was too late. If we get out of here… I don't know what I'm going to do yet.

"So what do you say? Ready to go on our last mission as a team?" He asked and stretched me his hand. I took it with my hand and we shook them tightly, smiling. It had always been an honor to work with him. Our last mission... save Aerith, defeat Sephiroth... together.

Climbing down the light stairs the floor below had a vast lake of lifestream with a sprinkling fountain behind one altar of coral at the end of the long path.

There in the altar, Aerith kneeled on the floor, her hands in front of her chest praying with her eyes closed. She looked so angel-like as a soft white glitter surrounded her body. She seemed so peacefully praying. And then suddenly like a silent demon of death coming from the sky he descended toward her frail figurine.

- To be continued

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**Note:** Hi! Since I started the story with three different points of view, I thought I should end it the same way. So, first I wrote Cloud's and you can guess the other two! Two more chapters and it ends… Ok so I might have changed a little bit the events of the Forgotten City in here! I hope you liked the chapter! Tell me what you think please! Until the next one, thank you so much everyone!


	19. Aerith: Heartbeat

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 19:** Aerith: Heartbeat

My heart… it beats for you. And if it has to stop beating, it will be only for you.

I can't say I know what will happen when I summon Holy, I've never done something like that before. But, this power that my ancestors granted me with is strong and it's telling me what has to be done. I hope the little I can control of it will be good enough to hold meteor. And I hope you can forgive me for leaving you. You said we belonged together and nothing could keep us apart. I will believe your words because if my time comes today, I told you I'd be waiting for you, wherever I end up in and I will wait.

We got separated once and you came back to me like you had promised you would. But I'm sorry for not being able to promise you the same. You found me but I wonder today if we were ever really meant to be together. I wonder what would have happened if you hadn't returned, would I be standing here as I am now?

My heart… is beating slowly… There's something about this place that keeps me calm. I can feel the presence of the people that once lived here. My people… And they're cheering for me because they know how important Holy is. I wish I was as sure about it as they are.

It's so quiet around here; I can hear water drops falling softly on top of a mineral stone as I stop my pace to admire this place that once was the city where my family lived a long time ago. The bright crystals are leading me the way through with their lights. I recognize this place from my dreams… It looks so familiar… But at the same time so distant… like a distant memory.

It's funny… Though I can feel their presence and the peacefulness emanating from the houses, the lakes, the water flowing from the stones of this lost city, I feel as lonely as I ever felt. Each step I take further into it, it's as if I'm leaving behind my home. With him, is where my heart is. If I don't see him again after today, my heart will always be with him. What I feel inside my chest right now, is tightening and keeping me from breathing freely. But I don't want to be separated from you, that is not my intention. So why do I keep walking with this strange feeling of anxiety? Like something will happen while I'm here?

I do not feel afraid but I am definitely not at ease as I thought I would be once I reached the Forgotten City.

Zack… I walk across this path with you in mind. I'm doing this so the world you live in won't be destroyed killing every single creature alive, every little plant struggling to grow, every born bird following the steps of their mothers to try to fly, the trees, the vivid blue sky you showed me, the flowers I so much love will not disappear. But most important of all, you and our friends will not disappear. If it will take sacrifice I won't be weak. Caith Sith wasn't weak when he volunteered to save us. He was brave and so will I be this time.

But what am I thinking, I'm not sure of anything that will happen, all I feel is this sense of nervousness that I'm not alone here, but who could be around here? I can't hear a thing, only the sound of water rippling.

The crystal lights follow my steps as I go down a circling set of stairs made of light. This light… is so warm as I rest my hand on the white banister and hold it under my fingers. I'm suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of security and comfortableness. Everything is going to be alright, I should believe it.

At the end of the passageway I'm now on, stands an altar made of dark blue coral just like the one I saw once in a dream I had. So this is where I'm supposed to be. That place is where I have to call for Holy. Pray upon it so the planet can be saved. Such great responsibility I can't fail. I take one step forward more and more confident that I can do it. I hear whispers around me of the souls of the ones lost in this place. This huge lake of lifestream under this bridge-like path must be allowing them to speak to me so clearly.

_We are with you._

_It will be alright._

They seem to say. Though my eyes are on the altar ahead, my mind is drifting off to somewhere else, somewhere where I can be with Zack. Tears threaten to come out and my throat closes in a knot as I keep walking. I don't want to hear these voices because they might be false. What if it won't be alright? My heart races.

I lift my hand to the top of my ponytail and pick out the green materia I have pinned between my locks. My fingers brush slightly on the pink ribbon Zack gave me a long time ago. Suddenly I feel reassured of his presence with me. I remember looking at this ribbon when he was gone and I would no longer be alone. These two objects I can't live the house without give me strength.

I smile thinking about how my life turned in the past few months. Someone who had never left the dark slums of Midgar has lived in the past couple of months more than what she has lived her entire life there. But I wouldn't change one thing of what I've done. Thanks to Zack, I feel happy. I lived.

I took the steps and reached the altar. Standing on its middle I turn around slowly on my feet taking a good look at the platform and around me where a huge spring of lifestream sparkles behind the altar. Peacefulness, everything is so silent it's almost suspicious. The voices tell me what to do. I kneel on the floor and bring my hands up in front of my chest holding the green materia between them and close my eyes. I have to focus on summoning this energy.

His face is the last thing I see before I start praying. His glazing ocean-blue eyes, his wide cheerful smile illuminating his face… My heart started beating fast. I want to see you again, I have to.

Zack… I'm doing this for you… my mother and for all our friends. I want to give you all a future.

I can feel it starting; it's like a tingling inside me growing into a strong warm power. It feels so relaxing, like I'm floating. I can see fields of green grass carpeting the planet's soil. Yellow flowers grow everywhere. Tall trees stand healthy shaking their leaves with the breeze. The blue sky I once feared glitters as I watch the world from above, flying as I do. Small houses were built around the fields and children run happily along the sides of a small stream running between silver stones, splashing on the shimmering clear water with their little feet.

This is the planet I want to save, this is the planet that will continue to exist and become this heavenly place where children can laugh and breathe in the fresh air. The planet is showing me it will be worth it and it's thanking me for what I'm doing. Such beautiful place is the greatest of the rewards. Yes, I was born to protect it how could I ever have doubted it? I know this is something I have to do. Holy is our hope.

The beating of the planet's heart echoes in my ears, synchronized with mine.

When I open my eyes again, and I don't know for how long I have been here praying, Cloud is in front of me and I smile at him though his sword is lifted up high and ready to strike me.

_My heart… It beats for you Zack… until the end._

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**Note:** And we're down to one. Next chapter will be the big finale! I know I left it hanging there on this one but we'll see what happens soon I hope! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing everyone! This story has been fun to write and I'm glad people liked it! I can't believe it's almost ending! Thank you. See you soon for the ending!


	20. Zack: Second Chance

**Zack's Final Mission**

**Chapter 20:** Zack: Second Chance

I remember that day as if it had just been yesterday. Every time I look back I can still see every single detail as if I was there right now.

When me and Cloud entered that altar place three years ago and I saw her praying, she looked like an angel with such pure beauty and innocence that when I saw Sephiroth coming down from the sky, getting closer to her, the rage I felt was as powerful as I had never felt before. Take away my life if you want to, but not her.

The worst part of it was when I looked and Cloud was no longer beside me but walking toward Aerith, sword in his hands. At first I thought he was waiting to block Sephiroth but when I realized he wanted to strike Aerith my blood started burning inside me and to this day I still don't know how I was able to get so fast to his side. I should have known Cloud's instable state of mind and I should have predicted Sephiroth wasn't going to fight us both without planning something evil. The coward had to use Cloud's mind again to get what he wanted. But he wouldn't succeed this time because this time, _I was there_. I knew what he wanted to prove, he wanted to show us he could control Cloud like a puppet. To mess with his mind at his will and confuse him. But Cloud was not that weak and that was Sephiroth's mistake, to have underestimated him.

I heard the loud sound of metal clashing; yellow sparkles flew when the three blades met. I pushed Cloud strongly aside taking the buster sword from him at the same time I took out the sword I had behind my back. I held them both on each hand and interlocked Sephiroth's masamune between my two blades in a cross. He smirked, I growled in fury when we stood face to face. I noticed Sephiroth's long sword had a string of blood dripping on its edge and I wanted to see if she was alright but the slightest second I took my eyes away from his could be fatal.

"Take her away from here Cloud." I shouted at my friend sitting down against the altar's coral wall. He seemed confused of what was happening but that was no time to ask questions. I felt him take Aerith in his arms, carrying her away from where we stood. I don't think I realized the panic I felt knowing that she might have been hurt at that time.

"Zack…" I heard her whisper.

"Wait for me Aerith." I told her. I was sure she'd be alright.

"Do you think you're ready to fight me?" Sephiroth loosened the pressure he was making against my swords retrieving his. His smugness irritated me. We circled slowly around the small surface of the altar, gazes locked.

"Don't think too much of yourself Sephiroth." I retorted. "Arrogant SOLDIERS are in fact weak."

"We'll check if it's true." He dashed and the buster sword's surface held his attack. The strength he was using was something abnormal but nothing I couldn't handle. Our swords flashed, scratching metal against metal when he started striking successively, hit after hit rapidly against my buster sword. He would pay for that too. I got free from his attacks and jumped back and out of the small altar. He followed me but this time I was quicker. The buster sword blocked him while my other one went right when he had to pull back his masamune to prevent the blade from reaching his skin.

"Why did you kill her?" I snapped, pulling him back strongly, the three blades got free with a slithering noise. I went for the attack again, the buster sword hitting his heavily. "My sister didn't deserve to die!" I angrily shouted, my eyes were burning.

"She got in my way." He replied smirking. I was furious by that time and dashed forward following him. He jumped and hovered in the air, I jumped back behind him and the metal sparkles began once again. I used both swords with all the strength I could gather. Just seeing his face was fuel enough for me to keep going. I didn't feel tired at all.

"You will pay Sephiroth!" I shouted while forming a ball of fire in my hand. I was relieved I had equipped some materia Cloud gave me before. I crossed the swords in front of me and sent the fireball flying in his direction. He flew away from it but it followed him until he had to slash it in two with his long sword. The double fireballs he had created surrounded him and went straight at his body which blasted in a ball of smoke. He was far from finished though. As soon as my feet reached the ground I ran toward him. I jumped up in his direction but he came out the cloud of smoke already about to hit me with his shoulder. The pain pierced my stomach like a thousand knives would and sent me flying down until I reached the lifestream lake under us.

I was falling deeper into the coldness, surrounded by the green light river. But I certainly wasn't going to give up. I saw her face then, smiling at me, giving me hope. I had to go back, for her. I heard souls whispering around me.

"Sorry, this isn't my time yet."

I straightened up and grinned. This was it. I rushed out of that green river fast into the air, he wasn't expecting to see me that soon. His eyes widened and I finally impaled him by the shoulder with the small sword. His blood spattered on me. We parted and he reached for the ground. I didn't let go. I ran to him but despite the pain he was probably feeling he lifted his sword to block mine. I dashed once again and once again our blades locked and that was when my buster sword went flying in the air behind me and out of my sight. Damn, I remember thinking. But I still had the other one in my hand.

His black glove was soaked up in his own blood from holding the wound and yet he kept smirking.

"You're sick." I said pointing my sword at him letting him know I could still fight him.

"I hope you know…" He started saying. "I was just warming up." The next thing I know he was in front of me, eyes glazing with fire. I heard skin ripping and a striking pain hit my abdomen on the left. He circled in the air to cut me again but I blocked holding the sword with both my hands. I gritted my teeth to hold the pain I wouldn't show weakness although it was hurting. With the strain I was doing I felt warm blood pouring out from where he had cut me. I wedged his attacks; they were strong like no one I ever fought with. Genesis was child-play compared to Sephiroth. He got stronger from the last time but then again, it wouldn't be Sephiroth if he wasn't as strong. My blade tore his cheek's skin in a tiny slim red cut.

A blue light appeared from his hand sending me flying backwards in the air. My back fell hard on the ground and I saw him take fast long steps in my direction, he lifted his sword high above his head, smiling. When he started pulling it down to cut me in two something else reached his masamune's end before me. Cloud was standing in front of me, the buster sword crossed paths between us both and Sephiroth. He pulled his sword back in a dragging sound and Sephiroth took two steps back. I rose to my feet and stood side by side with Cloud, our swords held toward him. Two heroes sure would be enough to take him down.

"Where have I seen this before?" Sephiroth let out a dry laugh. "Two wannabe heroes wanting to fight me. This is getting interesting."

We dashed, Cloud and I, our silver blades met his single one. Cloud ran and I jumped, Sephiroth lifted in the air and we followed tangling in one mix of blades slashing sending sparkles of metal everywhere. How could he be so quick blocking our attacks? But surely he couldn't keep doing it forever. Me and Cloud were unstoppable. Sephiroth's feet finally touched the ground and he kneeled, holding onto his sword stuck to the ground. Blood rushed down his arm dripping onto the floor by his fingers.

We stopped a few steps away from him and that was when I looked at Cloud. His face was serious, his eyes focused on Sephiroth glaring, I could tell he had something in his mind.

"I'm sorry." He said to me at last.

"For what?"

"Aerith…" He said. "I couldn't control myself. I almost—"

"She's alright isn't she?" I asked. He nodded. "That's all it matters. Cloud… let's end this." I needed to see her. But the blank stare in his eyes was still there. Sephiroth stood up looking at us; he laughed and with the back of his hand cleaned the string of blood rushing out from the corner of his mouth. Cloud glared and tightened the buster sword between his hands. We ran forward and when Sephiroth lifted again in the air we followed. Blades collided but pain hit me in the air making me lose my strength. I fell down on the altar's floor.

When I sat up Cloud lifted his arm to the side and slightly looked back at me, warning me to stay there. I knew then Cloud needed to prove Sephiroth something this time. I nodded understanding, this was something he had to do alone and I would give him the chance. He gripped the buster sword and rushed toward him. He attacked slicing his skin, when he went for it again in the blink of an eye, Sephiroth blocked but it didn't stop Cloud, he turned on his feet and slashed once again but this time it was crucial, Sephiroth coughed blood from his mouth, Cloud slashed him again and the 1st rank SOLDIER dropped to his knees. Cloud stopped in front of him.

"Where's your arrogance now?" Cloud asked looking down at him.

"It isn't over yet." As soon as Sephiroth said that, his masamune ripped through Cloud's chest until its silver edge came out from his back. I gasped on the floor. It couldn't be… Cloud's hand twitched when Sephiroth smirked.

"Where… have I seen… this before…?" Cloud asked in between gulps for air. His hands were shaking in pain and yet he smiled back at Sephiroth. "You will control me, no more." Cloud lifted the buster sword with both hands and it impaled through Sephiroth's chest. I can still remember the look in his face. Eyes were open wide in shock, lips slightly parted. The blank stare in his eyes revealed his life slowly slipping away. The buster sword slid down from Cloud's hand and fell next to him onto the floor. Cloud stumbled back sliding the masamune out of his body until he fell down on his knees in front of Sephiroth.

I stood up and my muscles felt sore, I was hurting all over but I could walk. I reached for Cloud and placed his arm around my shoulder helping him to walk. He moaned in pain.

"You're going to be ok, Cloud." I told him so he wouldn't give up on me. "Let's get out of here." Sephiroth was dead. Cloud had finished him off, at last. The planet would no longer be in danger. As we walked past him, I glanced at his body one last time and couldn't help remembering him from the time he was sane. How could you have let that happen Sephiroth?

When I finally got to see Aerith, she had her arms crossed on her chest and her back was slightly curved like she was holding onto some kind of heavy burden keeping her down. I noticed then, her eyes were puffy red from crying and she had a long thin cut along the side of her neck. Tifa had her arm around her shoulders protectively and I was glad our friends had been there with her.

We got in Cid's airship and helped lay Cloud down in one of the cabins the airship had. Aerith cast him a healing spell and Tifa helped her bandage him. He had been hurt badly, especially due to Sephiroth's last attempt on killing him. But he was going to make it. I was so proud of him.

It was night time by then and we didn't know where to go so everyone decided we should spend the night in the airship and decide that in the morning. When I found her in the darkest hour she was on the deck looking out the huge glass windows. The lights were all out and if I hadn't seen her silhouette contrasting with the outside lights in front of the windows I would never have found her. Everything was silent when I approached her. I wondered what was going on.

"Hey…" I called. It was the first quality time we got together after we had found her. She slightly turned her head but kept looking out the window. "Is something wrong?" I mean… wasn't she happy to see me?

"I don't know what I can possibly tell you to let you see how sorry I am." She said, still not turning to look at me.

"What do you mean? What are you sorry for?" I honestly was confused.

"I had no idea you'd be coming after me… I told Cloud what I was going to do; I didn't expect you to come find me." This time she turned her head, her eyes glittered with tears. "But I should have known."

"What are you talking about?" I asked in disbelief.

"Haven't you realized yet I put all of you in danger? Sephiroth could have killed you, he could have killed Cloud! All of them! Because of me!"

"But he didn't… And I wasn't going to leave you all alone, you know I would never do that." I told her but her lips trembled. I got near her and held her hands in mine.

"But I feel so bad… All I wanted was to stop Meteor, I didn't know Sephiroth would be there, I didn't want to put all your lives at risk."

"Aerith… how can you say something like that when you were the one saving us all?" I asked her. Looking at her small figure in front of me I wondered how could have such delicate person had all that responsibility on her shoulders? And she did it by herself. She had stopped Meteor. "The least we could do compared to what you did was getting rid of Sephiroth." I ran my fingers gently along the red cut mark she had on her neck and it made my heart ache, just knowing what it represented.

"Zack…"

"We should be thanking you actually." I really wanted to make her feel better. I couldn't stand to see her cry. I cleaned her tears with my fingers and pulled her closer to me. Her lips felt so warm on mine that time, they still do. It felt so comforting to me to be kissing her. It meant the nightmare was finally over and we could move on with our lives.

When I parted from the kiss and sat on one knee in front of her, holding her left hand in mine, you should have seen the look on her eyes. The green emerald beams widened in surprise, her cheeks turned a slight soft pink bringing color to her smooth silky skin and her lips curved into the most beautiful smile I had ever seen anyone give me. Her eyes shimmered by the moonlight, making my heart race inside my chest.

"Marry me…" I didn't want to ask her because I loved her so much it didn't make sense to me asking her to marry me, I was almost pleading.

"Yes…" She whispered and giggled placing both hands around my face as she kissed me eagerly. "Of course I will!"

Needless to say where we got married. When we got back to Midgar, the word on Sephiroth being killed had been spread already. But no one tried to find the responsible for it although everyone already knew who it was. It was better that way, they wouldn't dare crossing our paths.

The church had been decorated with pink and white flowers which name I don't recall although Aerith keeps telling me. She knows every kind by heart. That summer day was warm and bright. My flower girl from the slums was dressed in a strapless white satin gown when I saw her walking slowly down the aisle. I felt so nervous Cloud had to knock me on my back so I would get a grip on myself.

Now we have our house on the fields near Gongaga. Blue shutters, walls painted white and a red roof. It has a huge garden at the back where she spends most of her free time taking care of her flowers. She loves being outside now that she is free from the Midgar plate.

I finally had the courage to go talk to my parents and I brought Aerith with me. They were so happy when they met her that they couldn't stop asking me what kind of spell I put on her. They can be so inconvenient at times I had almost forgotten. They already knew what had happened to Cissnei though… When they saw me they wouldn't believe I was really there. It was sad to watch but Aerith was there and she helped a lot. I wanted them to be at the wedding but they are so old now, it would be hard getting them to Midgar. I guess I have to say I wasn't ready to see them after so long has passed but I have to get used to it. They have changed so much physically.

As for our friends, Tifa and Cloud returned to Midgar where they keep a delivery agency. Aerith says it won't be long until they finally get together as a couple and I can really see that happening. Barret lives there too with his daughter Marlene. Vincent and Cid are travelling around in his airship; they send us postcards from time to time telling us of their adventures. I really don't know how Vincent puts up with that old man, but I guess he has always had a patient personality. Red returned to his village in Cosmo Canyon and Yuffie… well I suppose she got back to Wutai and was made leader of the materia hunters' group. I sometimes get her e-mails asking if I want to buy any of the treasures she finds buried around the planet. Yeah right… as if I would like to buy any of that junk!

Sometimes me and Aerith go to the coast side of our continent to see the Ocean. When Aerith's feet touched the sea water for the first time she just fell in love with the clear blue of its color and the freshness of its feel. She looked back at me with a huge smile on her face, her hair waving in the wind. Where she is happy, that's where I want her to be. Now, nothing can keep us apart, we are bonded forever in this beautiful world she helped saving.

It had been three full years…

When she sat next to me on our couch tonight, she seemed worried about something. I placed my arm around her shoulders and pulled her against me.

"What's wrong?" I asked curiously.

"Zack… how do you feel about kids?"

"Well, what do you mean? They're cute…?" I laughed nervously.

"Yes but I mean… you know… having children."

"Still not following…" Like, wow.

"If you would like to have our own children! You know, like a son or a daughter!" She sighed and I'm pretty sure I petrified because she just stared at me expectantly for what seemed like… ten minutes? One hour? How long have I been sitting alone on the couch?

"Are you ready to give me an answer yet?" Her voice was kind but the wariness was still spread across her features when she sat back next to me.

"A- Are you trying to tell me something?" I was finally able to ask but... was that my voice? Because I kind of shrieked.

"I suppose… I am." She looked away. "What I'm trying to tell you is… you're going to be a dad."

Are you kidding me? The news strike me like thunder. _A dad. _The word rang in my head. Would I be ready to be one? Now that I think about it... I feel that I am. Heck, of course I am!

"Really?" I grinned snapping back to reality. "Are you sure?"

"Pretty much sure." She nodded looking back at me to see my reaction. I lifted her up in the air in my arms with excitement but put her down quickly realizing that I had to be careful. I apologized and placed one hand gently on her belly. I cannot believe I am going to be a father. Wait until Cloud hears about this! He's going to flip.

"If it's a girl we'll call her Jasmina! What do you think?" When she crinkled her nose and shook her head at my suggestion I realized that wouldn't be an option.

"I like Cissnei." She said and it made me serious. I liked that name too.

"Cissnei is perfect." I told her and lifted her chin with my fingers so I could kiss her lips. I held her in my arms overwhelmed by this feeling of protectiveness.

Life gave me a second chance to live and I couldn't be thankful enough.

My final mission was over but I just realized I had another one just starting.

_SOLDIER 1st class Zack Fair, is out._

**The end**

* * *

**Mint's Final ****Note**: I can't believe this is over! I know this was not a very long fanfic but I wanted to focus mostly on some parts of the game and what I think should have happened if Zack was there. I really hope people liked my story and I can't be enough thankful for all the support! Thank you so much for the reviews everyone! **Xanti**, **oodball167**, who is translating it to Spanish and reviewed my every chapter, **Prexistence**, for all the help you gave me through it and all the reviews you are great my friend, **ZakuReno** and **cyathula**, for reviewing every time I updated, **Angelgirl651**, **xTincampi**, **ann**, **Vane-Elric**, also **Kairi-loves-Sushi**, **Prince of Pride**, **Dragi**, **GirlsLikeeBoys**, **writer**, **floutistvivi****, ****xEpIcxXxfAiLx****, ****XDarkZeroX****. **I hope I didn't left anyone out! But if I did I thank you all the same! You have been great! Also, thank you all the people faving and putting my story on alert! I hope you all liked the ending; I wasn't so sure about the baby part afraid it would be too fluffy and I like tragedies a lot.

Anyway, thank you everyone! I'll see you around.


End file.
